Rhubarb Crumble Recipe

RATHFINNY ROSÉ & Rhubarb Crumble

Delicious rhubarb is now in season and Yorkshire grows plenty for UK shoppers! Farmed since the 1800s, the ‘rhubarb triangle’ covers Leeds, Wakefield and Bradford, a location in the frosty shadows of the Pennines where the topsoil is moist and cold, providing ideal conditions for growing rhubarb.

Although production has declined over the years, a small number of farmers still use the traditional, two-year growing method. The first planting happens outside and then the roots are dug up and stored in dark sheds for their final growth period. These conditions forces the rhubarb to shoot towards the little bit of light that shines through their container and gives them their long and slender stems. Harvest takes place between January and February and is instantly delivered to delighted chefs and shoppers who look forward to cooking with the freshest crop produced here in England.

Our Estate Head Chef, Chris Bailey loves baking with the rhubarb we source from Wellocks in our Tasting Room restaurant and the tart notes pair perfectly with our Rosé Brut. Why not have a go at making Chris’ rhubarb crumble and let us know what you think.

Ingredients:

For the crumble:

500g plain flour
375g cold diced butter
375g brown sugar
Pinch of salt

For the fruit:

1kg peeled and diced bramley apple
1kg forced rhubarb (from Yorkshire), diced
500g sugar
250ml water
2 star anise
1 vanilla pod

Method:

Pre-heat the oven to 170c.
Crumb the cold, diced butter with the sugar, flour and salt (option to add in 200g of crushed almonds if you would like).
Spread the mixture on a tray and bake for 20 minutes until golden brown.
Whilst the crumble topping is baking, bring 250g sugar with 250ml water to the boil.
When this comes to the boil, pour the liquid over the diced rhubarb in a Pyrex tray. Bake at 160c for roughly 10 minutes until just tender.
Scrape the vanilla pod, star anise, remaining sugar and apple in to a baking tray and bake covered for approximately 25 minutes until soft at 160c. Once baked, remove the spices.
Strain the rhubarb (reserving the syrup) and mix gently with the apple.
Check sugar levels are to your taste and adjust by adding the remaining rhubarb syrup as needed.
Any remaining syrup can be used to cook more rhubarb and even tastes delicious in with our Seven Sisters gin!

Option to make the vanilla ice cream if you have an ice cream maker (otherwise buy some good quality vanilla ice cream):

Ingredients:

1 vanilla pod
250ml milk
250ml cream
6 egg yolks
125g sugar

Method:

Heat the milk, cream and vanilla gently and infuse. Bring to a simmer and then turn off.
Whisk the sugar and yolks.
Strain the liquids over the egg mix and whisk.
Return to a pan and heat gently to a temperature of 86c stirring all the time, this will form a custard.
Strain the custard into a wide dish and chill as quickly as possible.
Once cold, churn as to the instructions on your ice cream machine.