The UK’s spring has been cooler than usual but this hasn’t bothered my rhubarb patch at all.  Even though I hacked it back to the crown at the end of last season, it’s already producing more rhubarb that I can cope with.  After making some jam and giving some to friends and neighbours I still have a kilo left, so I thought I would make a flan. Wanting the rhubarb to keeps it’s attractive red hue I decided I would roast the rhubarb first.  As you can see from my photo it did indeed stay red/pink which makes the rhubarb look as good as it tastes.   For more hints and tips about rhubarb.

Ingredients-pastry

225g Plain flour

120g Unsalted butter

1 large egg

25g caster sugar

Rhubarb -filling

1kg washed Rhubarb storks

juice 1 lemon juice

1 orange

150g caster sugar

4 Tbsp cherry jam

1 teaspoon cornflour

4 Tbsp cherry jam

Custard Mix

4 large eggs

100g caster sugar

½ vanilla pod

175ml double cream

50ml milk

Pastry

1. Make the pastry by rubbing the butter into the flour and separately whisk 25g sugar into the egg then gently stir into the pastry, bringing the mix together. Allow the pastry to rest in a cool place for 20 minutes before rolling out 3-4 mm thick.
2. Butter a 12 inch ceramic quiche dish and then line it with the pastry and then pierce the pastry with a fork.Rest pastry case in the fridge.

Rhubarb Mix

1. Preheat your oven to 190 C. On a low heat mix the sugar, orange and lemon juice into a heavy bottomed saucepan and cook until you have a syrup. Place rhubarb in wire rack and set on a baking tray. Brush the syrup onto the rhubarb and roast in the middle of the oven until it is tender enough to take the point of a knife (about 10-15 minutes.
2. Save the liquid and pour into your syrup saucepan and allow the rhubarb to cool on the wire rack.
3. Cut the rhubarb into bite sized pieces and divide into two halves. Place half of the rhubarb into the pastry shell, evenly spaced.

Custard Mix

1. In a large bowl whisk the eggs, add the vanilla seeds from the pod, sugar, milk and cream.Gently pour custard into pastry shell. Bake on the middle shelf for 20 minutes and then lower the heat to 175 C and bake for another 25 minutes until set and lightly brown.

Remaining rhubarb

1. Add the cherry jam to the syrup and cook on a low heat stirring often.
2. Make a paste with the cornflour and a little cold water and stir in the thicken up the syrup. Continue to stir for 1-2 minutes then add the remaining 1/2 of the rhubarb to the syrup.
3. Lower the heat and cook for a few minutes until the rhubarb is tender, then remove from the heat and allow to cool.

To Serve

Stir ¾ teaspoon of cinnamon into a small tub of crème fraiche and transfer into a small serving bowl.  Serve the flan warm with the extra rhubarb and Cinnamon Crème Fraiche cold.