eat make read

Oh how I’ve been waiting for the day that I would arrive at the farmers market to find ruby red stalks of fresh rhubarb being sold. I’m not sure why it felt so torturous, not seeing it there for so long, but you should have seen the smile that crossed my face last weekend when I finally saw those stalks. I guess for me, rhubarb signals the end of boring and brown at the market and the beginning of new arrivals each week, delicious things to try and challenges to conquer. Basically, rhubarb makes me very, very happy.

Once I got home, I thumbed through a few cookbooks and recipe cards, contemplating whether I should make a tried and true recipe or something new. I decided to be brave and try something new that I found online, perhaps a good omen to start out the season. I landed on this recipe for rhubarb sponge pudding, something I’d never heard of, but after reading the recipe, it sounded like a cousin of the crumble, a dish that’s super versatile and always a hit. The sponge pudding did not disappoint.

Whenever I think about rhubarb, I think about the long red and sometimes green stalks. It’s not until I cut it that I remember the lovely green interior that is just the prettiest color. Just another thing about rhubarb that makes me happy. Anywho, back to the recipe. It’s easy-peasy. Rhubarb almost always needs a hearty helping of sugar to balance out the tartness, so you simply sprinkle some brown sugar and a bit of fresh vanilla beans over the lovely little slices and add just a touch of water to incorporate the sugar.

Once the rhubarb is making friends with the sugar, you make an easy batter composed of flour, baking powder, butter, sugar, eggs and milk. It comes together quite quickly and you just spread it over the rhubarb and pop it in the oven.

After pulling it out of the oven and letting it cool a bit, this golden beauty will be ready to dig into. I whipped up a quick batch of cinnamon whipped cream, which I eagerly plopped over a scoop of the sponge pudding. Aaron and I each quickly fell into oohs and ahhs. It’s so simple, but so good. The rhubarb plays it’s usual delicious role as a juicy and tart element, but it plays so incredibly well with the almost doughnut-like batter. The batter has a slightly crisp outside, but really, the interior is very similar to doughnuts, slightly cakey, but lighter. What a great way to kick off rhubarb season!

rhubarb sponge pudding
adapted from this recipe from epicurious

makes about 8 servings

1 1/3 pounds rhubarb, cut into 1-inch lengths (about 5 cups)
1/3 cup (packed) golden brown sugar
1/2 vanilla bean
2 tablespoons water

1 cup plus 2 tablespoons all purpose flour
1 1/2 teaspoons baking powder
1/2 cup sugar
7 tablespoons butter, room temperature
2 large eggs
6 1/2 tablespoons whole milk
Preheat oven to 375°F
1
Butter 9x9x2-inch baking dish.
2
Place rhubarb pieces in baking dish in even layer.
3
Scatter brown sugar and seeds from half a vanilla bean over the rhubarb pieces and sprinkle with 2 tablespoons water.
4
Whisk flour and baking powder in small bowl to blend.
5
Using electric mixer, beat sugar and butter in large bowl until pale and fluffy, about 3 minutes. 6
Add eggs one at a time, beating well between additions.
7
Fold in flour mixture in 3 additions alternately with milk in 2 additions, mixing just to blend after each addition. Spoon batter over rhubarb, smoothing top to cover.
8
Bake dessert until top is golden brown and toothpick inserted into center comes out clean, about 35-40 minutes.
9
Cool at least 30 minutes and up to 1 hour. Serve warm with softly whipped cream.