Slow-roasted strawberries & rhubarb with baked custard
This is the most perfect summer dessert when you have gorgeous, sweet strawberries that need eating and a few sticks of rhubarb searching for a purpose. The baked custard is only ever so slightly sweetened with maple syrup and a few drops of orange oil, so the flavours of the fruit really have the last word.
Slow-roasted strawberries & rhubarb with baked custard
Ingredients
For the roasted fruit
600g small, sweet strawberries, hulled
5 – 6 sticks of rhubarb, trimmed and cut into 2 cm pieces
1 orange, zest and juice
45ml (3 tablespoons) honey or maple syrup (or more to taste – I like things super tart!)
For the baked custard
1 litre milk of your choice (the fattier the milk, the more delicious the custard)
pinch of salt
7 medium free-range eggs
30ml (2 tablespoons) honey or maple syrup
1/2 teaspoon good quality orange oil, optional
Method
- Gently toss all the ingredients for fruit in a medium, shallow ovenproof dish and roast at 140˚C for 20 – 30 minutes, or until the rhubarb is tender when tested with a small sharp knife. Try not to disturb the fruit too much once cooked, as it will be very soft. Set aside.
- While the fruit is roasting, prepare the custard. Heat the milk in a saucepan until it starts to froth around the edges (don’t let it boil!). Remove from heat.
- Briefly whisk the eggs and maple syrup in a large heatproof bowl, then carefully pour the hot milk onto the egg mixture, continuing to whisk gently.
- Once the fruit has been removed, turn the oven up to 160°C and boil a full kettle of water.
- Place a clean cotton or terry cloth in the base of a roasting tin – this will prevent the dish from sliding around. Grease a medium ovenproof dish and place on the cloth. Pour the custard mixture into the dish and put the roasting tin in the oven.
- Pour the boiled water around the dish – it should come about halfway up the sides, so you might need to boil a second kettle, depending on the size of your tin.
- Bake for 45-50 minutes, or until just set. Don’t be alarmed if it still looks rather wobbly, as it will continue to set even after you’ve removed the dish from its water bath.
- Serve warm or refrigerate and serve chilled with the roasted fruit.
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