Steamed Rhubarb Sponge with Vanilla Custard

Ingredients

Vanilla Custard

125ml milk
250ml double cream
1 vanilla pod (split and seeds removed)
4 egg yolks
75g castor sugar

Method

• Bring the milk, cream and vanilla to the boil.
• Whisk the egg yolks and sugar together until pale and creamy. Whisk the hot milk mixture into the egg mixture.
• Place into a bowl over a Bain Marie and stir until desired consistency is achieved, pass through a fine sieve and serve immediately.

Sponge puddings

350g rhubarb diced (100g made into a puree and 250g cooked for a few minutes in sugar syrup, just to take away the bite)
3 large eggs, separated
100g castor sugar
½ vanilla bean (split)
20g butter, melted
150ml buttermilk
190g self raising flour, sifted
½ teaspoon baking powder

Method

• Preheat the oven to 180’c, butter and sugar 6 × 200ml pudding moulds, then divide the 250g of cooled rhubarb between the moulds.
• Beat the egg whites until a stiff peak.
• In a separate bowl, whisk the egg yolks and sugar until light and fluffy. Scrape the seeds of the vanilla pod into the egg yolk mix, then stir in the melted butter and buttermilk, gently mix in the flour and baking powder to form a batter, then fold in the egg whites.
• Spoon the mix into the prepared moulds leaving a slight gap at the top of the mould.
• Stand the moulds in a water bath and cover in tin foil, cook for 30min rotating after 15min, remove from the water bath, allow to sit for a few minutes.

Turn out the sponge into the centre of the bowl, pour a little of the rhubarb puree over the top then drizzle the warm custard around.