Rhubarb Barbara

[madbaker]

This week's Resolution Recipe: Vanilla Pudding with Roasted Rhubarb.
"You may think of vanilla pudding as nursery food, and you may be right. But what is wrong with that? Comfort is important, and a bowl of pudding may give you a welcome feeling of bonhomie."

1 lb rhubarb, cut on the bias in 3/4" slices
3/4 cup sugar

3/4 cup sugar
2 Tbsp plus 1 1/2 tsp cornstarch (I appreciate the author did not say "2.5 Tbsp", but I would have to weigh it to convert to a better measurement, which I didn't think of doing)
1 Tbsp vanilla
1 whole egg
2 egg yolks
1 3/4 cups milk
1/2 cup plus 2 Tbsp cream (or, 19 oz total 1/2 & 1/2)

3/4 cream plus 1 Tbsp powdered sugar

Heat the oven to 350°. Combine the rhubarb and 3/4 cup sugar in a large baking dish. Let stand to macerate. Whisk together the sugar and cornstarch. Whisk in the egg and yolks until smooth.

Add the milk and cream to a medium saucepan. Heat over medium heat until it begins to bubble slightly at the edges. Slowly whisk in about 1 cup of the hot dairy into the sugar-egg mixture and whisk until smooth to temper the yolks, then whisk that back into the saucepan with the remaining dairy. Return to the heat and cook, stirring constantly with a rubber spatula, for 3-5 minutes until the mixture just begins to bubble and thicken. Remove from the heat and sieve if desired (I did not so desire); whisk in the vanilla. Blend the pudding with an immersion blender until it's silky smooth. Spoon into bowls and refrigerate until cold.

Roast the rhubarb in the oven for 20-25 minutes, until the fruit is tender but not falling apart and the juices are syrupy. Let cool.

Shortly before serving, whisk together the cream and sugar to soft peaks. Top each serving of pudding with some of the rhubarb and a nice pouf of cream.

What worked: This was delicious. The pudding was silky-smooth on its own without sieving or blending. The rhubarb was just right in texture and added some tang.

I don't have a nursery school attachment to vanilla pudding, but I suspect this would hit that nostalgia feeling - but with a much higher quality.

What didn't: Way too much rhubarb for the amount of pudding. (We used leftovers in breakfast oatmeal.) The juices could have used some cooking down as they were more juice than syrup. And for our taste, we could have halved the sugar with the rhubarb.

The pudding did weep a bit when stored for a couple days, so it's better to eat it up quickly. Oh darn.

Will I make it again? Probably. I might just top with berries though.

Comments

[loup_noir]

Which book did this come from? I'm always looking for rhubarb recipes. I have three big plants, and this year, I haven't done a thing with them. Clearly, I need to start cooking.

[madbaker]

This came from the SF Chronicle's weekly fud section a year back.