Rhubarb! Rhubarb!

I love rhubarb season!!  I'm utterly addicted to the stuff.  I have it on porridge for breakfast, or with yoghurt for a snack, or custard for dessert.  I'd like to have a go at rhubarb ice-cream sometime too.  But today I decided to take a week off from The Great Pastry Experiment and treat myself to a simple cake: Rhubarb and Hazelnut.  Mmmmmm!!!!!!!
 

 

Today was a beautiful sunny day in Melbourne, and as I pulled on my apron at 8am (I know, I know - impressive right?  Or just plain nuts...) I had the delighted grin of expectation on my otherwise weary face.  But this recipe wasn't going to make life easy for me.  For starters, there simply wasn't enough batter to cover the tin in two layers.  So I made another half batch.  And then the rhubarb started dripping through the springform tin, where it promptly burnt on the bottom of the oven.*

The result, though, was a deliciously rustic-looking cake that in fact behaved more like a dense, cakey slice.  No matter!  The caramelised rhubarb along the edge was well worth it.  Wednesday Baking Day wins again! 

                                                   

So it's back to pastry next week - this time with Mama's lard recipe.  Yumbo!

xx Leah

*On a side note, the bottom of my oven seems to be the happening place to hang out for renegade ingredients of my baking endeavours.  Croissant butter, stewed apple and melted chocolate have all been sighted there at various times.  And frankly, once they make an appearance, its very difficult to get them to leave without heavy negotiations and sometimes, even physical force (only when strictly necessary, of course).