TwD: Fresh Rhubarb Upside-Down Baby Cakes

Today´s recipe for the Tuesdays with Dorie group are Fresh Rhubarb Upside-Down Baby Cakes. The recipe for these pretty little spring cakes was contributed by baker and culinary artist Johanne Killeen. I made these tiny cakes as per the recipe and they were absolutely gorgeous, so moist and delicious with an incredible light crumb!

The recipe for these delicious Fresh Rhubarb Upside-Down Baby Cakes is a two step process. First,  you will have to make a classic butter cake, using all purpose (plain) flour, baking powder, some fine salt (I always use fine sea salt), thick crème fraîche, unsalted butter, fresh eggs and pure vanilla extract (I used homemade vanilla sugar).

Second,  you need to make the caramel topping by using brown sugar (I used light brown sugar), a bit of bourbon (I used French Cognac), more unsalted butter and chopped nuts (I used natural almonds) and for the fruit layer you will, of course, need fresh local rhubarb that can be found everywhere around here at this time of year. As I mentioned in my April post  when I featured a Rhubarb Almond Bundt, the slightly tart rhubarb and the sweet almonds go very well together - quite a delicious taste combination.

To bake these small tea cakes, you start by spooning the hot caramel with the chopped nuts into the bottom of the buttered and floured baking molds, then you add a layer of chopped fresh rhubarb and top the fruit layer with the cake batter, filling your molds almost to the rim.

The mini cakes bake until they are puffed, golden brown, and just starting to pull from the sides of the molds, about 20 minutes. Turn them out on a rack to cool only slightly, then turn them upside down while still warm because otherwise you will not be able to unmold them as the caramel will stick to the molds when cooled. And while they are best eaten warm from the oven, they may be stored and re-heated a bit just before enjoying them.

This recipe was enough for eight mini cakes – I used my brand new mini cake molds from England for these small cakes plus two baby cakes - I used mini pie dishes for these. So, I ended up with ten servings, perfect.

These gorgeous Fresh Rhubarb Upside-Down Baby Cakes are an indulgent treat and perfect for that afternoon tea. We enjoyed them while they were still warm from the oven with no adornments but they would certainly be nice with a bit of really good vanilla ice cream or some whipped cream or even better some clotted cream. I will be making these again for sure!

To see how the other Doristas fared with this recipe, please do click here.

The recipe can be found at Erin´s blog – When in Doubt…Leave it at 35o - "Thank you very much for hosting today´s recipe"!

FFwD: Creamy Mushrooms and Eggs

Today we are preparing Creamy Mushrooms and Eggs for the French Friday with Dorie group.

When I read the recipe I understood that it is meant to be served as an appetizer and I thought that it was quite easy to prepare à la minute. There is only a short list of ingredients required and the few steps in this recipe are not difficult to follow at all.

You sautée one finely minced shallot in some good butter and olive oil, add sliced mushrooms (I used cremini mushrooms), freshly ground black pepper, some sea salt and cream. The sauce will thicken quickly as it bubbles away in the pan.

Then all that is left to do is add herbs and voilà, the sauce or as the recipe calls it the “creamy mushrooms” are ready – though I added fresh Italian parsley and chives from the garden rather than the rosemary and mint that Dorie´s recipe calls for.

Then onto the egg – the recipe states that the eggs should be poached and that the mushrooms should be served on a slice of toasted brioche. But  I decided to go a bit of a different route to make the appetizer more appealing and the recipe a tad more challenging.

Instead of serving the mushrooms on a slice of brioche, I made some fresh breadcrumbs with the brioche and fried the poached eggs with a coating of flour, some more egg and fresh brioche crumbs.

Then I served the appetizer with some steamed and thinly shaved green asparagus and carrots and decorated the plate with some pretty savory blossoms – now that was different and certainly quite delicious!

To see how the other members of the French Friday with Dorie group prepared the Creamy Mushrooms and Eggs, please click here.

May Day Celebrations - Maifeiertag

May Day (Maifeiertag) on the first of May is an ancient Northern Hemisphere spring festival and usually a public holiday. The first day of May is celebrated in many parts of the world. In the Rhineland, where we live, May 1st,  is also celebrated by the delivery of a Maypole (Maibaum) a tree covered in streamers to the house of a beloved person the night before. Often, the person who decorates and puts up a Maypole in front of a house, also places a painted wooden heart on the tree that bears the name of the recipient.

Flowers are always a big part of May Day celebrations. May Day not only brings the image of maypoles, but also of collecting flowers and throughout its history, May Day has traditionally been a joyous celebration of spring and the coming summer.

May Day is an ancient holiday that has its roots in paganism, stemming from the Celtic festival of Beltane and the Germanic festival of Walpurgis Night (Walpurgisnacht), in honor of St. Walburga, a nun who is believed to have cured the illnesses of many.

The Romans were the first to specifically mark the first day of  May with a festival that celebrated the coming of spring.  As Europe moved away from Paganism, May Day began to take on other meanings.  It is now variously considered an International Workers’  Day as well as a day to celebrate the beginning of Summer, a national holiday and, perhaps most importantly, a day to have a party.

For our celebrations at home,  I like to make a simple and pretty Lemon Buttermilk Bundt cake that needs no adornment other than some icing sugar. Make sure to use a lovely cake pan.

So why not celebrate the first day of May and the coming summer by baking a delightful little lemony cake and decorate the table with some wonderful late spring flowers.

I took these pictures today, downtown Bonn (Germany) and this one shows a Maypole that someone placed in front of a house near the City garage...

...and in the old part of the city, there are presently quite a numer of tourists taking numerous pictures of the wonderful cherry tree blossoms (Kirschblüten) - the fragile pink flowers will not last for much longer and it is always very special to see them appear on those trees around the first of May.

Whichever way you choose to celebrate the frist day of May today, this very special day certainly reminds us all of the coming summer and of nature´s incredible bounty that awaits us in the next couple of weeks.

Sources: 

• Backing pan called LURCH Flexi Royal Blankenburg from "Lurch" (http://www.lurch.de)

Koninginnedag 2013 - Queen´s Day & Poffertjes (Mini Dutch Pancakes)

Queen's Day is going to be special this year for the Dutch. It is the last one for a while, since on January 28th, 2013,  Queen Beatrix announced her abdication on April 30th, 2013 in favour of her son, Willem-Alexander. Tomorrow, on April 30th, 2013, she will abdicate the throne after 33 years. On the same day, the new King, her son Willem-Alexander, will be inaugurated, which means next year it will be King´s Day. Also, the date will be changed from April 30th to April 27th, which is the birthday of Willem-Alexander. The ceremonies for the inauguration will take place at the Royal Palace at Dam Square and the Nieuwe Kerk.

Queen's Day, Queensday or Koninginnedag (as the Dutch call it), is a national holiday in the Netherlands. On this day, the Dutch celebrate the birthday of the Queen of the Netherlands. Queen Beatrix's birthday is not on that date, but on January 31st. April 30th was the birthday of her mother, Queen Juliana. Queen Beatrix wanted to continue celebrating Koninginnedag on that date as a mark of respect to her mother.

This special holiday is also a typical occasion for the world-famous "orange craze or madness", in Dutch, "oranjegekte". The color orange is a ubiquitous sight, referring to the name of the royal family, the House of Orange. On this special day, everywhere you go, you will see orange banners, orange colored foods and drinks as well as people dressed in orange.

We spent a lot of time in the Netherlands as we like everything about this wonderful country. I have blogged about some wonderful places to visit in the Netherlands such as the utterly delightful Dille&Kamille kitchen supply store in Middleburg, the heavenly Boekhandel Selexy Dominicanen bookstore and the traditional Blanche Dael coffee roasting company in Maastricht and I have also posted a recipe for utterly delicious traditional Stroopkoeken cookies. So, I thought it would be appropriate to celebrate this special day by baking a wonderful Dutch treat, namely little Dutch pancakes, also called Poffertjes.

Poffertjes are a traditional Dutch treat. These small, fluffy pancakes, are typically made with yeast and buckwheat as well as all purpose flour and baked in a special Poffertjes Pan (poffertjespan). This specialty pan is either made of cast iron (that is the one I use), copper, or in a non-stock pan. Whatever the material of the pan, it usually has sixteen shallow indentations in the bottom. When you prepare Poffertjes, you should always use a Poffertjes Pan, but if you do not own one you could always use a regular pan or even an aebleskiver pan.

Traditionally, Poffertjes are served with powdered sugar and butter, and sometimes syrup. They are often served as a delicious afternoon snack or as dessert. When the weather turns cold, temporary stalls selling Poffertjes are quite popular, and sell portions containing one or two dozens of these little Dutch pancakes. Usually the cook prepares them fresh while you are watching and will serve these delicate treats to you on a small cardboard plate together with a small disposable fork.

Poffertjes (Mini Dutch Pancakes)

serves about four 

Ingredients

• 1 level tsp instant yeast
• 1 tbsp milk
• 100 grams (1 cup) buckwheat flour 
• 100 grams (1 cup) AP (plain) flour 
• 2 eggs (L), organic or free range
• 1 tsp superfine (caster) sugar 
• 1/2 tsp fine salt (I use sea salt)
• 1 1/4 cups warm milk (250 ml)
• unsalted butter for frying the pancakes
• some more butter and some powdered sugar for serving (optional) - you can also serve some syrup or fresh fruit alongside

Equipment

• a specialty Poffertjes Pan (or other frying pan)
• soft brush for buttering the pan
• two small forks for turning the Poffertjes in the pan
• a plastic squeeze bottle 

Preparation

1. In a small bowl, dissolve the yeast in the milk.
2. In a separate bowl, combine the buckwheat flour, the AP (plain) flour, eggs, yeast, sugar, salt and half of  the milk. 
3. Whisk the ingredienst until they become smooth. 
4. Then add the remaining milk and whisk some more.
5. Cover the bowl with plastic wrap, set aside and allow the dough to rest for about an hour (there will be bubbles on the surface). 
6. Turn on your stove to medium high and heat the Poffertjes pan or simply melt some butter in a frying pan. 
7. If using a Poffertjes Pan, lightly butter each indentation (unless it is a non-stick pan, then no need for greasing) and pour some batter into each - making sure to fill only to the very rim of each indentation. You can use a plastic squeeze bottle for this step (I do).
8. After two minutes or as soon as a few bubbles appear on the surface of the pancakes, use your forks to flip them over and fry some more on the other side (another two minute or so).
9. If using a regular pan, once the butter sizzles, add a teaspoonful of the batter in circular movements to create the mini pancakes and turn the Poffertjes around as soon as the bottom has set, using two forks.
10. Transfer the Poffertjes onto a cooling rack and brush with melted butter or serve them with some pats of butter and generously dust with powdered sugar.

These little Dutch pancakes might seem like a lot of work, but they are utterly delicious, they are buttery and have a nutty wholesome flavour from the buckwheat.

If you find a special Poffertjes Pan while travelling in the Netherlands or Belgium, do make sure to buy one and take it home with you.and prepare those delicate little treats.

So whether you are Dutch or just like to celebrate Koninginnedag 2013 and would like to join in the Dutch fun...

...wear orange, eat orange, drink orange, put all your carefully collected Dutch souvenirs on display..

...or invite some friends and prepare some Dutch food for them -  why not consider baking some of these delightful traditional sweet treats that everyone is certain to enjoy!

Eet smakelijk!

FFwD: Swiss Chard Pancakes - Farçous

Today we are preparing Swiss Chard Pancakes for the French Friday with Dorie group.

Swiss chard is a member of the beet family and has large, flat, crinkled green leaves with thick, fleshy stalks and ribs. The taste is rich, complex and robust.

Think of chard almost as two vegetables in one as both the leaves and stems can be used. The stem is often steamed and served separately. The leaves cook more quickly than the stem and can be added to soups, flans, tarts and omelettes and pancakes. Both stem and leaves can be sautéed with cream, butter and cheese.

Swiss chard is popular in Italian and French cooking. Different varieties may have red, pink, white or yellow stalks, ruby chard has red ribs, for example. Alas, around here, although Swiss chard is available year round it is only in season from June to August, and from October to March. Not now. That´s  why I chose to substitute spinach for the Swiss chard, other than that, no changes to the original recipe.

Spinach is a leafy green vegetable that is generally cooked, but can also be eaten raw when young enough to be tender. It has a bit of a bittersweet taste and its vibrant green color can be used to dye pasta green, for example.

When shopping for fresh spinach,  make sure to look for bright green leaves without yellowing or signs of bruising. Smaller leaves are best for salads, whereas larger ones stand up better to heat. Bear in mind that spinach leaves do shrink quite dramatically, so what looks like an enormous amount won’t be when it’s cooked.

Dorie´s recipe for the very French Swiss Chard Pancakes or farçous, could not be easier. All you need  to do is blend the ingredients, namely, whole milk, AP (plain) flour, fresh eggs, an onion, a shallot, some garlic (I used tender spring garlic), Italian parsley leaves, fresh chives and Swiss chard (or in my case tender spinach leaves), in order to make a pancake batter. Than all you have to do is gently fry them in a pan in some good neutral oil (I used sunflower oil ).

These green pancakes were a huge hit at our house, we ate them plain, as an appetizer, absolutely no need to dress them up whatsoever, other then decorate them in a pretty spring like fashion.

To see, how the other Doristas prepared this French specialty, please click here

Rhubarb Cordial and Rhubarb Almond Bundt - Rhabarber Sirup und Rhabarber-Mandel Kuchen

Rhubarb season has finally arrived! Nothing says springtime quite like the sweet-tart taste of the year's first rhubarb. It can be baked into breads, pies, cakes, muffins, squares or bars, or stewed to make the best sauce recipes to top ice cream, yogurt or puddings, or it can be made into delectable jams.

Die Rhabarber-Saison hat endlich angefangen! Nichts symbolisiert den Frühling so sehr wie der süß-herbe Geschmack des ersten Rhabarbers. Man kann mit Rhabarber nicht nur Brot, Kuchen, Pies oder Muffins backen, man kann ihn aber auch dünsten und zu einem wunderbarem Kompott verarbeiten, dass man zu Eis, Joghurt oder Pudding servieren kann, oder man kocht eine köstliche Rhabarber-Marmelade.

Rhubarb makes the best ever dessert crumbles, cobblers, and crisps, whether you use it on its own or pair it with other seasonal fruits such as strawberries! Flavors such as orange, vanilla and lavender all complement rhubarb in the most delightful ways. And because rhubarb is technically a vegetable, but most often treated as a fruit, it is versatile enough to be used for savory recipes and at any meal, including fish, pork, chicken and beef dinners.

Mit Rhabarber kann man die allerbesten Obstaufläufe machen, egal ob man den Rhabarber allein oder zusammen mit anderen saisonalen Früchten wie Erdbeeren kombiniert. Verschiedene Aromen wie Orange, Vanille oder sogar Lavendel ergänzen Rhabarber auf einzigartige Weise. Und weil Rhabarber botanisch gesehen ein Gemüse ist, aber meist als eine Frucht behandelt wird, ist es vielseitig genug um auch als Beilage zu Hauptgerichten mit Fisch, Schweinefleisch, Hähnchen oder Rindfleisch serviert zu werden. Rhabarber schmeckt köstlich wenn man ihn herzhaft zubereitet.

Before you start cooking or baking with this vegetable, wash, trim and remove any stringy outer layers of the rhubarb stems before you use it. And do not forget to discard the leaves as they are poisonous. No matter what you prepare with this wonderful springtime vegetable, remember to cut the stalks into equal-sized pieces to ensure even cooking. Rhubarb tastes quite refreshing when used as a base for drinks such as Spritzer. To get started, you will need a rhubarb juice or cordial base. So let us start with a recipe for a Rhubarb Cordial.

Bevor man mit Rhabarber kocht oder backt, sollte man das Gemüse gut waschen und schälen, dabei darauf achten, auf die äußeren Fäden abziehen zu ziehen, sonst wird’s zu bitter - und niemals vergessen die Blätter zu entfernen, da sie giftig sind. Egal, welches Gericht man macht, man sollte den Rhabarber auch immer in gleich große Stücke schneiden, dann gart er auch schön gleichmäßig. Rhabarber schmeckt sehr erfrischend, wenn man ihn als Basis für Getränke wie Schorlen verwendet. Und für eine Rhabarber-Schorle braucht man bekanntlich ja Rhabarber-Saft oder Sirup. Also, zunächst ein Rezept für einen Rhabarber-Sirup

Springtime Rhubarb Cordial makes about one liter Ingredients 1.5 kg fresh rhubarb stalks, roughly chopped (preferably locally grown and organic) 75 ml water sugar (about 750 grams - depending on the amount of rhubarb juice you made) freshly squeezed lemon juice, preferably organic (about 75 ml - depending on the amout of juice) Equipment cotton muslin cloth or kitchen towel kitchen twine sterilized bootles or jars For Serving still or sparkling mineral water a few slice of lemon ice cubes (optional) Preparation Place the chopped rhubarb in a pan with about 75 ml water over  low heat. Cook slowly until the juices start coming out of the rhubarb, then turn the heat up a little and continue cooking until completely soft. Line a large bowl with a piece of clean muslin and place the cooked rhubarb inside. Gather the four corners of the cloth and tie them together with some kitchen twine. Hang the package over the bowl for a few hours to drain. Pour the juice into a large measuring cup. Measure the juice -  for every liter of rhubarb juice, you should add about 750 grams of sugar and 75 ml of lemon juice. Pour the juice into a pan on a medium heat and stir to dissolve the sugar. Turn off the heat just before it starts boiling. Very carfully pour the syrup into sterilized bottles and seal them. Let cool completely before serving. Store in a cool place. When ready to serve the rhubarb cordial,  mix one part rhubarb cordial with three parts mineral water and and garnish such as lemon slices.

Frühlings-Rhabarber-Sirup Ergibt ungefähr ein Liter Zutaten 1,5 kg frischer Rhabarber, geschält und geschnitten (vorzugsweise regional oder Bio) 75 ml Wasser 750 Gramm Zucker – je nachdem wieviel Saft man hat 75 ml frisch gepresster Zitronensaft (Bio) – je nachdem wieviel Saft man hat Außerdem  Ein Saft-/Filtertuch Küchengarn Sterilsierte Flaschen Zum Mischen Stilles Wasser oder Mineralwasser Zitronenscheiben  Eiswürfel (wenn man möchte) Zubereitung des Rhabarbersirups Den vorbereiteten Rhabarber gemeinsam mit dem Wasser in einen großen Topf geben. Den Topfinhalt zum Kochen bringen und auf niedriger Hitze solange köcheln lassen, bis die Rhabarberstücke weich sind. Eine große Schale mit dem Safttuch auslegen, den weichen Rhabarber vorsichtig hinein geben und mit dem Küchenband zubinden. Das Tuch für einige Stunden oder über Nacht über eine große Schale hängen, damit der gesamte Saft aufgefangen werden kann. Den Saft in einen Messbecher gießen. Einen Liter abmessen – für jeden Liter Saft, sollte man 750 Gramm Zucker und 75 ml Zitronensaft hinzufügen. Den Saft in einen Topf geben, auf mittlerer Hitze erwärmen und umrühren, bis de Zucker vollständig aufgelöst ist. Den Sirup von der Herdplatte nehmen bevor er anfängt zu kochen. Vorsichtig den heißen Sirup in die vorbereiteten Flaschen abfüllen und fest verschließen. Den Sirup auskühlen lassen. An einem kühlen Ort lagern. Den fertigen Sirup mit stillem Wasser oder Mineralwasser aufgießen. Dabei ein Teil Sirup auf drei Teile Wasser. Mit Zitronenescheiben garnieren.

Once the springtime Rhubarb Cordial has been prepared and is cooled, it is time to bake a fabulous Rhubarb Almond Bundt cake. It contains finely chopped, not ground almonds, homemade vanilla sugar and small cubes of the first springtime rhubarb that I found at the market. This is my kind of delightful, springtime, afternoon cake that really needs only a bit of a dusting of confectioners´ sugar for serving but do feel free to serve it with vanilla ice cream or whipped cream or whatever else strikes your fancy. Rhubarb Almond Bundt Ingredients 100 grams rhubarb (about one large stalk), preferably locally grown and organic 125 grams (1 stick plus 2 tbsp) unsalted butter, room temperature, plus some more for greasing the baking pan 125 grams (1/2 cup plus 1 tbsp) superfine (caster) sugar 2 tsp pure vanilla sugar, preferably homemade (you can also use 1/2 tsp pure vanilla extract) 2 eggs (M), organic or free range 200 grams (1.5 cups plus 1 tbsp) AP (plain) flour or white spelt flour, plus some more for flouring the baking pan 2 tsp baking powder a pinch of fine sea salt 6 tbsp milk, room temperature 50 grams (1/3 cup) finely chopped (not ground) natural almonds a bit of confectioners´ sugar Equipment a small Bundt cake from or other small baking pan (700 ml or three cup capacity)

Sobald der Frühlings-Rhabarber-Sirup fertig ist, geht es ans Backen eines kleinen Rhabarber-Mandel-Kuchens. Der Kuchen enthält fein gehackte, nicht gemahlene Mandeln, selbstgemachten Vanillezucker (den kann man selbstverständlich auch ersetzen) und kleine Stücke des ersten Frühlings-Rhabarbers, den ich fand ich auf dem Markt entdeckt habe – so ein kleiner, saftiger Kuchen ist genau die Art von Kuchen, die ich besonders gerne mag. Ein netter Nachmittagskuchen, der wirklich nur ein bisschen Puderzucker vorm dem Servieren braucht. Aber man kann ihn natürlich auch gerne mit ein bisschen geschlagener Sahne oder Vanilleeis genießen. Rhabarber-Mandel-Kuchen Zutaten für den Kuchen 100 Gramm Rhabarber (etwa eine große Stange), vorzugsweise regional oder Bio  125 Gramm ungesalzen Butter, Zimmertemperatur, und etwas zum Einfetten der Form 125 Gramm feinster Zucker 2 TL Bourbon-Vanille-Zucker, selbstgemacht oder gekauft (man kann auch ½ TL reinen Vanille-Extrakt verwenden)  2 Eier (M), Bio oder Freiland  200 Gramm Weizenmehl, und etwas zum Mehlieren der Form (man kann auch Dinkelmehl, Typ 630 verwenden) 2 TL Backpulver  eine Prise feines Meersalz  6 Esslöffel Milch, Zimmertemperatur  50 Gramm fein gehackte (nicht fein gemahlene) geschälte Mandeln etwas Puderzucker Außerdem eine kleine Gugelhupf-Backform oder eine andere kleine Backform (etwa 700 ml Inhalt)

Preparation Preheat your oven to 175 degrees Celsius (350 degrees Fahrenheit) for a regular oven or 150 degress Celsius (325 Degrees Fahrenheit) for a convection oven. Butter and flour your mini Bundt pan (if necessary) or other small cake pan, knock out the excess flour. Set aside. Wash and peel the rhubarb and cut into very small pieces. Set aside. In the bowl of your mixer, beat the butter with the sugar until light and creamy. Beat in the vanilla. Add the eggs one at a time and beat for about one minute after adding each egg. In another bowl, whisk together the flour, baking powder and salt. Add the flour mixture to the butter mixture in three additions, alternating with the milk. Using a rubber spatula, first stir in the finely chopped almonds, then the finely chopped rhubarb. Fill the prepared cake pan and bake for about 35-40 minutes or until a wooden skewer inserted into the middle of the cake comes out with only moist crumbs attached. Transfer to a cooling rack and let cool for about 15 minutes.  Turn the cake out and cool completely unless you would like to serve it while still warm. Dust with icing sugar just before serving. Serve with some rhubarb cordial and tea or coffee.

Zubereitung Den Ofen auf 175 Grad Celsius (Elektro) oder 150 Grad Celsius (Umluft) vorheizen. Die Kuchenform (falls nötig) mit etwas Butter einfetten und mit Mehl ausstäuben. Das überschüssige Mehl herausklopfen. Rhabarber waschen, putzen und in kleine Stücke schneiden. Kurz beiseite stellen. Butter und Zucker mit dem Schneebesen des Handrührgerätes cremig rühren.  Vanille-Zucker unterrühren. Eier nacheinander unterrühren.  In einer Schüssel das Mehl, Backpulver und Salz mischen. Die Mehlmischung abwechselnd mit der Milch unter die Masse rühren.  Rhabarber und Mandeln vorsichtig unterheben, das geht am besten mit einem Teigspatel. Den Teig in die vorbereitete Gugelhupfform geben. Im vorgeheizten Backofen zirka 35 bis 40 Minuten backen (Stäbchenprobe).  Den Kuchen herausnehmen und zirka 15 Minuten abkühlen lassen.  Den Kuchen auf ein Kuchengitter stürzen, auskühlen lassen.  Kurz vor dem Servieren mit Puderzucker bestäuben. Mit einer Rhabarberschorle und Tee oder Kaffee servieren.

The finely chopped natural almonds give a lovely texture and a great flavor to this cake. The cake is not overly sweet, the finely diced rhubarb is not overpowering but the flavor is still there and pairs well with the hint of vanilla and the sweet finely chopped natural almonds. This small Rhubarb Almond Bundt makes a lovely dessert served either warm with ice cream, or cold as a teatime cake served with whipped cream, clotted cream or crème fraîche flavored with some more pure vanilla sugar or just on its own, dusting with some icing sugar and served with a nice glass of Rhubarb Cordial. Source: Backing pan called LURCH Flexi Royal Lüneburg from "Lurch" can be ordered here.

Die fein gehackten Mandeln verleihen diesem Kuchen eine schöne Konsistenz und einen angenehmen Geschmack. Der Kuchen ist nicht allzu süß und der fein gewürfelte Rhabarber verleiht ihm eine feine säuerliche Note, die ganz hervorragend zusammen mit der Vanille und den Mandeln schmeckt. Wenn man möchte, kann man diesen kleinen Rhabarber-Mandel-Kuchen durchaus auch noch lauwarm servieren, da würde dann ein wenig Vanilleeis sehr gut passen – oder man serviert den Kuchen wenn er abgekühlt ist mit etwas geschlagener Sahne, „clotted cream“ (Rahm) oder Crème Fraîche oder einfach mit etwas Puderzucker bestäubt und zusammen mit einem Glass selbstgemachter Rhabarberschorle. Bezugsquelle: Backform LURCH Flexi Royal Lüneburg von "Lurch" gibt es hier.

“Rhubarb is a funny vegetable. So funny, it thinks it's a fruit.”

(The Guardian, January 6, 2007)