Rhubarb & Custard Cake

This recipe is based on the brilliant Felicity Cloake’s version in the Guardian. You can use any fruit such as blueberries, grapes or the classic, cherry.

ingredients

serves 8-10

• 175g rhubarb, cut into 4cm pieces

• 30g caster sugar

• Juice + peel of 1/2 blood orange

• 4 eggs, separated

• 175g caster sugar

• 1 vanilla pod or 1 tsp essence

• 480ml whole milk

• A squeeze of lemon

• 120g butter, melted | * 100g plain flour I

• Icing sugar, to decorate
  

instructions

Preheat oven to 160C/140C fan. Grease with melted butter a 20cm casserole pan or cake tin (but not loose-bottomed).

Place the rhubarb, 30g sugar, orange juice and peel in a small baking tin, cover with foil and bake for 20-25 mins until tender but holding shape. Leave to cool.

Meanwhile, beat egg whites until stiff peaks. Set aside.

Gently warm and infuse the milk with the vanilla and keep warm. Melt the butter.

Beat the egg yolks for 5 mins with the sugar until thick + creamy. Stir in lemon juice, the slowly add the melted butter.

Stir in the flour with a pinch of salt, then slowly stir in the warm milk, bit by bit. It'll be very wet, but don't worry.

Fold in the egg whites until partially mixed but no large bits left - you want the foam to rise top the top.

Pour into the greased pan and top with the cooked rhubarb pieces. The egg whites will hold them up. Reserve any juices for pouring on after.

Place in middle of oven for 45-60 minutes until the centre only jiggles slightly. Keep an eye on it though as all ovens different! Remove and cool in tin for 15 mins, then run a knife around the edge, place a plate on top and invert to remove. Place another plate on top and invert again so rhubarb on top. Allow to cool completely then sprinkle with icing sugar.