Ingredients

• 4 stalks rhubarb (approximately 400g/14oz)
• 35g/1¼oz caster sugar
• 6 free-range egg yolks
• 50g/1¾oz caster sugar
• 200ml/7fl oz double cream
• 150ml/5fl oz full-fat milk
• 1 tsp cornflour
• mixed with a little water to form a paste
• 1 vanilla pod
• sliced lengthways and the seeds scraped out
• 100g/3½ oz plain flour
• 80g/3oz butter
• 80g/3oz caster sugar
• 80g/3oz ground almonds

Directions

• Preheat the oven to 160C/320F/Gas 3.
• For the rhubarb
• cut two rhubarb stalks into 1cm/½in pieces. Place in a saucepan with two thirds of the sugar and a few tablespoons water. Melt the sugar over a gentle heat to form a syrup. Remove from the heat and set aside.
• Cut another rhubarb stalk into 1cm/½in pieces and place in rows on a baking tray. Sprinkle over the remaining caster sugar.
• Use a vegetable peeler to remove 8-12 strips from the final stem of rhubarb. Glaze with the syrup then place over the sugar coated rhubarb. Cook in the oven for 6-7 minutes
• or until the rhubarb is tender.
• For the custard
• in a large heatproof bowl beat the egg yolks and sugar together until well combined. Add the cream and milk to a saucepan and bring to the boil.
• Sit the bowl of yolks and sugar over a separate pan of gently simmering water and whisk the cream mixture into it. Add the cornflour paste and stir continuously until the custard starts to thicken.
• Add the vanilla seeds to the mixture and keep stirring until the custard is thick enough to coat the back of a spoon. Remove the bowl from the heat.
• In wine glasses
• add a layer of the stewed rhubarb syrup and a layer of custard. Place in the fridge overnight to set.
• For the crumble
• preheat the oven to 180C/350F/Gas 4. Line a baking tray with baking parchment.
• Rub the flour
• butter
• sugar and almonds together until the mixture resembles breadcrumbs.
• Sprinkle the mixture onto the lined baking tray and bake for approximately 15-20 minutes
• turning occasionally
• until the crumble is crunchy and golden-brown. Remove from the oven and set aside to cool completely.
• Once the rhubarb and custard has set
• top with baked rhubarb pieces and some almond crumble. Decorate with the glazed rhubarb strips.