Rachel Allen’s lavender sponge cake with rhubarb curd
A lovely lavender flavoured cake with a hint of rhubarb from Rachel’s TV series “All Things Sweet” proudly sponsored by Connacht Gold.
Ingredients
For the lavender sponge
- 6 eggs
- 175 g (6 oz) caster or granulated sugar
- pinch of salt
- 150 g (5 oz) plain flour
- 2 tsp lavender buds, finely chopped (off the stems)
- 125 g (4½ oz) butter, melted, plus extra for greasing
For the rhubarb curd
- 550 g (1 lb 3 oz) rhubarb, cut in to 1cm (½in) slices (weigh when sliced and trimmed)
- 200 g (7 oz) caster or granulated sugar
- 75g (3 oz) butter
- 3 eggs, whisked
- To decorate
- icing sugar
Method
- Preheat the oven to 180°C (350°F), Gas mark 4. Line the base of three 18cm (7in) cake tins and butter the sides.
- To make the sponge, place the eggs, the sugar and the salt in the bowl and, using an electric whisk, beat for 5–8 minutes until tripled in volume, light and fluffy. Sift in the flour and fold into the light mousse-like mixture with the lavender and the melted butter, working quickly so that too much air does not escape.
- Divide the cake mixture into the three tins and place in the oven. Bake for 22–25 minutes until light golden and a skewer inserted into the centre comes out clean. Take out of the oven and let sit in the tin for a few minutes before taking out and cooling on a wire rack.
- Next, make the curd. Place the rhubarb and 50g (2oz) of the sugar in a saucepan on a medium heat, stirring every so often. Cook for about 5–6 minutes until the rhubarb has softened, broken up completely and the mixture has thickened to a pulp.
- Pour into a sieve sitting over a bowl and push the mixture through the sieve into the bowl, making sure to scrape the underside of the sieve to get every last bit.
- Next, place the butter in the cleaned saucepan on a low-medium heat and allow to melt. Take off the heat just while you add in the eggs, rest of the sugar and the rhubarb purée. Put back on a low heat and stir all the time for about 2–3 minutes until thickened. Take off the heat, tip into a bowl and allow to cool.
- When ready to assemble, place one cake (save the cake with the best-looking top for the top) upside down on a plate or cake stand. Place half of the curd on top and spread it out (I like to allow the curd to drip slightly over the edges). Put the next cake, right side up, on top, then cover with the second half of the curd, as before. Finally, top with the third (and best-looking) cake. Dust with icing sugar and decorate with some more lavender if you’d like.
http://www.connachtgold.ie/recipes/rachel-allen-lavenderspongecake/
Rainy Day Raspberry & Rhubarb Pavlova @Rua_Mayo
Rhubarb & Custard Swiss Roll by Rachel Allen @Ballymaloe
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Rachel Allen’s Cake Diaries
Rachel Allen’s Cake Diaries
Ingredients
- butter (melted, for greasing)
- 4 eggs
- 125 g (41/2 oz) caster sugar (plus 3 tbsp for sprinkling)
- 2 tblsp warm water
- 1 tsp vanilla extract
- 125 g (41/2 oz) plain flour (plus extra for dusting)
- for the filling
- 200 g (7oz) rhubarb (about 2 stalks, trimmed), cut into 5mm (1/4 in) slices
- 125 g (41/2 oz) caster sugar
- 200 ml (7fl oz) milk
- 1 vanilla pod, split lengthways, or 2 tsp vanilla extract
- 3 egg yolks
- 15 g (1/2 oz) cornflour
- 100 ml (31/2 fl oz) whipped double or regular cream (measured when whipped)
Method
- Preheat the oven to 190°C (375°F/Gas 5). Line the base of the Swiss roll tin (25 x 38cm/ 10 x 15′) with baking parchment, brush the base and sides of the tin with melted butter and dust with flour.
- Using a hand-held electric beater or an electric food mixer, whisk together the eggs, caster sugar, water and vanilla extract until light and fluffy.
- Sift in the flour, about one-third at a time, and fold it into the mixture. Carefully pour the mixture into the prepared Swiss roll tin and bake in the oven for 12–15 minutes or until the centre of the sponge is slightly springy to the touch and the edges have shrunk a little from the sides of the tin.
- Take a piece of baking parchment slightly larger in size than the tin and spread out on a work surface.
- Sprinkle the paper evenly with caster sugar (this is to stop the cake sticking to the paper). Quickly flip the Swiss roll tin over onto the sugared paper, then carefully remove the tin and baking parchment from the bottom of the cake.
- Place a clean, slightly damp tea towel over the cake while it cools – this will prevent it drying out and cracking when you roll it.
- Meanwhile, make the filling. Place the rhubarb in a saucepan with 75g (3oz) of the caster sugar and 25ml (1fl oz) of water and place on a medium heat, stirring to dissolve the sugar. Bring to the boil and allow to boil, uncovered and stirring regularly, for 10–15 minutes or until the rhubarb is completely soft and the mixture is quite thick.
- Tip out onto a plate and allow to cool.
- Next make the custard. Place the milk and the split vanilla pod (if using) in another pan and bring to the boil.
- Whisk the egg yolks (and vanilla extract, if using) with the remaining sugar (I like to use a hand-held electric beater for this) for a few minutes or until pale and light. Then briefly whisk in the cornflour.
- Pour the hot milk and vanilla pod (if using) onto the egg mixture, whisking as you pour, then tip it all back into the saucepan and cook, stirring all the time, over a low heat for a few minutes or until it forms a thick custard.
- Pour it into a bowl and allow to cool, then fold in the cooled rhubarb and the whipped cream – you can leave it slightly marbled (not fully mixed) if you prefer.
- When the sponge is completely cold, spread over the rhubarb and custard mixture, then, with one of the short sides facing you, roll up the Swiss roll away from you and carefully transfer to a serving plate.
- Sprinkle with a little extra caster sugar to finish, then cut into slices about 2cm (3/4in) thick to serve.
Buttermilk panna cotta, rhubarb and a few aul doughnuts.@Anahaugh
Chai rice pudding with roasted rhubarb by Lily Higgins @NDC
Ingredients checklist
500 g rhubarb, chopped into 3” pieces
120 g sugar
1 orange, thickly sliced
100 g toasted flaked almonds or pistachio nuts
75 g pudding rice
375 ml milk
2 chai tea bags
2 tbsp sugar
Instructions
1Preheat the oven to 180C.
2 Place the rhubarb into an oven proof dish. Pour over the sugar. Place the orange slices on top. Cover with foil and bake for 25 minutes. Sprinkle with the orange blossom water and leave to cool.
3. Place the rice, milk, chai tea bags and sugar in a saucepan. Bring to the boil on the hob. Turn down to simmer slowly for 30 – 40 minutes, only leave the tea bags in the milk for ten minutes before removing.
4. Stir occasionally to ensure it doesn’t catch on the bottom. Spoon the rice pudding into bowls, top with some rhubarb and scatter with toasted almonds. Serve right away.
Rhubarb & Custard Swiss Roll by Rachel Allen #foodaware
More from
Rachel Allen’s Cake Diaries
Rachel Allen’s Cake Diaries
Ingredients
- butter (melted, for greasing)
- 4 eggs
- 125 g (41/2 oz) caster sugar (plus 3 tbsp for sprinkling)
- 2 tblsp warm water
- 1 tsp vanilla extract
- 125 g (41/2 oz) plain flour (plus extra for dusting)
- for the filling
- 200 g (7oz) rhubarb (about 2 stalks, trimmed), cut into 5mm (1/4 in) slices
- 125 g (41/2 oz) caster sugar
- 200 ml (7fl oz) milk
- 1 vanilla pod, split lengthways, or 2 tsp vanilla extract
- 3 egg yolks
- 15 g (1/2 oz) cornflour
- 100 ml (31/2 fl oz) whipped double or regular cream (measured when whipped)
Method
- Preheat the oven to 190°C (375°F/Gas 5). Line the base of the Swiss roll tin (25 x 38cm/ 10 x 15′) with baking parchment, brush the base and sides of the tin with melted butter and dust with flour.
- Using a hand-held electric beater or an electric food mixer, whisk together the eggs, caster sugar, water and vanilla extract until light and fluffy.
- Sift in the flour, about one-third at a time, and fold it into the mixture. Carefully pour the mixture into the prepared Swiss roll tin and bake in the oven for 12–15 minutes or until the centre of the sponge is slightly springy to the touch and the edges have shrunk a little from the sides of the tin.
- Take a piece of baking parchment slightly larger in size than the tin and spread out on a work surface.
- Sprinkle the paper evenly with caster sugar (this is to stop the cake sticking to the paper). Quickly flip the Swiss roll tin over onto the sugared paper, then carefully remove the tin and baking parchment from the bottom of the cake.
- Place a clean, slightly damp tea towel over the cake while it cools – this will prevent it drying out and cracking when you roll it.
- Meanwhile, make the filling. Place the rhubarb in a saucepan with 75g (3oz) of the caster sugar and 25ml (1fl oz) of water and place on a medium heat, stirring to dissolve the sugar. Bring to the boil and allow to boil, uncovered and stirring regularly, for 10–15 minutes or until the rhubarb is completely soft and the mixture is quite thick.
- Tip out onto a plate and allow to cool.
- Next make the custard. Place the milk and the split vanilla pod (if using) in another pan and bring to the boil.
- Whisk the egg yolks (and vanilla extract, if using) with the remaining sugar (I like to use a hand-held electric beater for this) for a few minutes or until pale and light. Then briefly whisk in the cornflour.
- Pour the hot milk and vanilla pod (if using) onto the egg mixture, whisking as you pour, then tip it all back into the saucepan and cook, stirring all the time, over a low heat for a few minutes or until it forms a thick custard.
- Pour it into a bowl and allow to cool, then fold in the cooled rhubarb and the whipped cream – you can leave it slightly marbled (not fully mixed) if you prefer.
- When the sponge is completely cold, spread over the rhubarb and custard mixture, then, with one of the short sides facing you, roll up the Swiss roll away from you and carefully transfer to a serving plate.
- Sprinkle with a little extra caster sugar to finish, then cut into slices about 2cm (3/4in) thick to serve.
Ryan family growing rhubarb for over 20 years @bordbia #foodaware
bordbia
Meet Derek Ryan, a fourth generation grower from Oldtown, Co. Dublin. Ably assisted by his wife Aoife, and their three kids Louis, Elizabeth and Hazel, Derek has being growing rhubarb for 20 years!
Quality Assured rhubarb is now in season, ready for you to use in delicious desserts, cakes, crumbles and tarts this month.
#Rhubarb #Grower #LocallyGrown #IrishProduce #Ireland #Farmer #IrishFarmer #IrishFarming
Buttermilk panna cotta, rhubarb and a few aul doughnuts.@Anahaugh
Foodaware 