I’ve decided I need to post more recipes. Usually I try for one a week. That seems a fair amount what with work, 3 kids, the house, browsing Instagram stories. You know, the usual list of must do activities. The thing is though that I do make an awful lot more than I actually post, like this rhubarb and ginger crumble. And some of these recipes are lost forever for lack of scribbling them down. So think of this as a semi promise of a February resolution to post more recipes, be they quick and easy dishes or even slightly more tricky stuff.
Today I give you a rhubarb and ginger crumble I made over the weekend. I confess that crumble is not my favourite pudding. I think it’s the fruit inclusion. It doesn’t feel nearly decadent enough. In fact I would happily just make a tray of crumble and serve it warm and crunchy over ice cream. Maybe with some salted caramel sauce for good measure. But this pudding is tart and bitter and sweet and spiked with ginger wine, and oh my goodness has it reignited my love affair with fruit based puddings. I hope you like it. (Please accept my apologies for the poor iPhone photography, I figure you like me by now for my recipes, not my photography skills. Well I hope).
Sadly lots of rhubarb does not simmer down to much, so if you feel so inclined perhaps make a huge batch and freeze the crumble in portions before baking. That way you can bake from frozen and you’re only ever 40 minutes away from pudding heaven.
For more rhubarb recipes try a classic James Martin crumble, or this one from Jackson Boxer. The Guardian also has this round up of the 10 best rhubarb recipes of all time. I really like the sound of the rhubarb cake with cardamom and custard.
Lots of great recipes like this in my books, Recipes from a Normal Mum, (available on Amazon, at The Works, Waterstones, WHSmith, The Book Depository and many smaller outlets) and The Power of Frozen (available through Amazon).
This time last year: Microwave chocolate pudding, Gluten free chocolate coconut cake, Beetroot rolls, Chocolate heart cupcakes, Bramley apple and cinnamon crepe cake, Ikea style meatballs and pancakes.
Two years ago: Rye, spelt & poppy seed rolls, Never fail pancakes, Fluffy sweet potato pancakes, Mars Bar brownies and I wrote a letter to my 15 year old self with all the things I’d wish I’d known over 20 years ago.
Three years ago: Chocolate and banana flower shaped cupcakes, Subtle coconut rolls, Easy chocolate cupcakes and Chocolate orange tea buns and Almond and fig granola.
Four years ago: Love cupcakes and White chocolate, lemon and macadamia cake and Roasted celeriac, carrot and parsnip soup and My lightest Yorkshire puddings.
Five years ago: Bake me not chocolate cake and Jelly and ice-cream meringue roulade and Good flapjack and Banana, butterscotch and fig traybake.
Six years ago: Treasure hunt ice-cream and Rhubarb and ginger chutney and Carrot cake.
Yield: 2
- For the fruit layer:
- 400g rhubarb
- 30mls ginger wine
- 50g caster sugar
- For the crumble:
- 70g self raising flour
- 45g salted butter, chilled
- 30g light muscavado sugar
Top and tail the rhubarb, cut into 3cm pieces and place in a saucepan with the ginger wine and caster sugar. Stew over a low heat, on the hob, for 10 minutes until he rhubarb breaks down and the liquid and sugar have started to combine to make a thicker sauce. Remove from the heat and pour into a small casserole or pie dish measuring about 15cm in diameter. Preheat the oven to 200C/180C fan/gas 6. Make the crumble topping by rubbing the butter into the flour until you have a rubbly breadcrumb like consistency. Then stir through the sugar. Use your hands to 'scrunch' the crumble up to make larger pieces, then break some of these down into a variety of different sizes. You need the crumble topping to be irregular in size to get the best results. (Hence why making it in a food processor is just never as good as the hand method). Sprinkle over the top and bake in the oven for about 25 minutes until golden brown and bubbling away. Serve with custard, ice cream or cream. Or just plain and simple.
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Holly Bell 