Rhubarb is ripe! So we dug out our favourite rhubarb recipe…

Rhubarb Cinnamon Polenta Cake

Taken straight from Nigel Slater’s much loved recipe book ‘Ripe’. This cake is perfect anytime of day (including breakfast) with a dollop of crème fraîche or Greek yogurt…

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enough for 8

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For The Filling

500g rhubarb

50g golden baker’s sugar

4 tablespoons water

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For The Crust

125g coarse polenta

200g all-purpose flour

1 teaspoon baking powder

A pinch of ground cinnamon

150g golden baker’s sugar

Zest of a small orange

150g butter

A large egg

2 to 4 tablespoons milk

1 tablespoon demerara sugar

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Lightly oil or butter an 8-inch (20cm) springform cake pan.

Preheat the oven to 350°F (180°C) and put a baking sheet in it to get it hot.

Trim the rhubarb, cut each stem into short pieces, and put them in a baking dish. Scatter over the sugar and water and bake for thirty to forty minutes, until the rhubarb is soft but still retains its shape. Remove the pieces of fruit from the dish and put them in a colander or large sieve to drain. Reserve the rhubarb juice to serve with the cake.

Put the polenta, flour, baking powder, cinnamon, and baker’s sugar in a food processor. Add the grated orange zest and the butter, cut into smallish pieces, then blitz for a few seconds until you have something that resembles breadcrumbs (you can also do this by hand- rubbing the butter into the polenta).

Break the egg into a small bowl and mix with 2 tablespoons of milk, then blend into the crumble mix, either in the food processor or by hand. Take care not to overmix; stop as soon as the dry ingredients and liquid have come together to form a soft, slightly sticky dough. If it isn’t a little sticky, then add a touch more milk.

Press about two-thirds of the mixture into the cake pan, pushing it 3/4 inch (2cm) up the sides with a floured spoon. Make sure there are no holes or large cracks.

Place the drained rhubarb on top, leaving a small rim around the edge. Crumble lumps of the remaining polenta mixture over the fruit with your fingertips, and don’t worry if the rhubarb isn’t all covered.

Scatter over the demerara sugar.

Place on the hot baking sheet and bake for forty-five to fifty minutes, then cool a little before attempting to remove from the pan.

Serve in slices, with the reserved rhubarb juice.

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Images: www.dessertsforbreakfast.com 

Featured Image: Clare Fletcher