Rhubarb fumble
Serves 4
For the crumble:
100g wholemeal flour
100g porridge oats
100g cold unsalted butter, cut into cubes
50g ground almonds
75g light muscovado sugar
2 tbsp sunflower, flax and/or poppy seeds
For the compote:
1kg rhubarb, cut into 5–10cm lengths
Juice and finely grated zest of 1 orange
4 tbsp runny honey
For the custard:
400ml whole milk
200ml double cream
1 vanilla pod, slit open lengthways, seeds removed
6 egg yolks
30g light muscovado or caster sugar
2 tspns cornflour (optional)
Yoghurt:
250g natural or vanilla yoghurt
Preheat the oven to 180°C/Gas mark 4.
Start with the crumble topping by mixing the flour and oats in a large bowl. Rub cold cubes of butter through until the mixture resembles breadcrumbs. Fold in ground almonds, sugar and seeds, then squeeze in your hands to form small clumps.
Crumble these on to a large, lipped baking tray and spread out evenly. Bake for about 25 minutes until golden brown and crisp, giving the whole thing a good stir halfway through.
You can let the crumble cool for just 10 minutes or so and use it still warm, or leave it to cool completely.
While it cooks, arrange the rhubarb in an ovenproof dish large enough to hold it in a single layer, then scatter over the orange zest and pour in the juice. Trickle over the honey and gently mix the whole lot together.
Cover loosely with foil or place in the oven beneath the crumble and bake for 30-45 minutes, or until the rhubarb is tender, giving it a gentle stir halfway through. the pieces of rhubarb should keep their shape.
To make the custard, put the milk, cream and vanilla pod and seeds in a saucepan and bring to just below the boil, then set aside to infuse for 10 minutes.
Remove the vanilla pod from the cream. Beat the egg yolks and sugar together in a bowl until smooth then slowly pour in 3-4 dessertspoons of the hot cream, whisking all the time, to start gently warming and incorporating the eggs so they don’t scramble.
Pour the rest of the egg mixture into the pan with the warm cream and heat gently, stirring with a wooden spoon, until the mixture is thick enough to coat the back of the spoon; don't let it boil.
Allow everything to cool, or better yet, fully chill the custard. Then, set out individual dishes and a compiling station with bowls of the crumble topping, roasted rhubarb, yogurt and cooled (or chilled) custard.
Encourage people to start with a spoon of rhubarb, followed by a dollop of custard, some yogurt and some crumble for the top. Then, fumble it in the glass so no two spoonfuls are the same.
Looking for more sweet treats?
Hugh Fearnley-Whittingstall shows you how to make seasonal fresh veg and fruit exciting, inviting and down-right tempting, for even most staunch veg sceptics, in his Next Level Much More Veg online course with Learning with Experts.
You'll learn how to be creative with your veg and create a complete vegetarian dinner from starter through main courses to veg based desserts.
As one of the courses making up the River Cottage Next Level Cooking Diploma 'Next Level Much More Veg' will teach you how you can make a feast from local, seasonal vegetables.