I have rather a lot of rhubarb plants; nine to be exact. You could say that it is a little over the top, but then it does mean that I get to easily develop recipes such as this Sourdough Rhubarb Pudding, and don’t resent using more rhubarb in sourdough muffins as a mid-morning treat for my students. I also love that perfumed acid sweetness. It is irresistible, however, I have noticed, generally that people either love or loathe rhubarb in equal measure, so feel free to substitute the rhubarb for gooseberries or blackberries, or indeed any seasonal fruit. This Sourdough Rhubarb Pudding recipe is one that uses up leftover sourdough starter. The sourdough acetic acid reacts with the baking powder resulting in a lighter topping and I really like that light lactic acid tanginess that sits quietly at the back of this extra light pudding.
Serves: 8
Ingredients
- 120g unsalted butter, plus extra for greasing
- 500g freshly chopped rhubarb (prepared weight)
- 3 large eggs
- 200g Fairtrade caster sugar
- 1 tsp Ndali vanilla extract
- 100g unrefreshed sourdough starter (1:1)
- 100 ml buttermilk
- 150g organic white flour
- 75g ground almonds
- 1 teaspoon organic baking powder
- 1/4 teaspoon fine sea salt
- 75g flaked almonds
- Icing sugar, for dusting
Equipment
30 x 20cm tin or ceramic roasting dish.
Method
Melt the butter and allow to cool. Preheat your oven to 180°C/355F.
Prepare your roasting dish by lightly greasing with butter. Cut the rhubarb into 1.5cm slices and spread them over the base of the prepared tin.
Whisk the eggs, caster sugar and vanilla extract in a large bowl until light and fluffy. Mix the melted butter with the sourdough starter and buttermilk and add to the egg and sugar mixture.
Sift the flour, ground almonds, baking powder and salt into a bowl.
Fold the flour mixture into the wet mixture together until you have a smooth, thick batter.
Spread the batter over the rhubarb and sprinkle the flaked almonds over the top for extra crunch.
Bake for 30-40 minutes, or until the sponge is golden brown and a skewer inserted in the centre comes out clean.
Set the dish on a wire rack to cool a little. Dust with icing sugar and serve warm with ice cream or cultured cream.
Vanessa’s Cultured Cream recipe can be found on page 72 of ‘The Sourdough School Sweet Baking: Nourishing The Gut & The Mind’.