Rhubarb gingerbread sponge pudding

Name: Rhubarb gingerbread sponge pudding
Cook time: 1 h
Yield: 8
Cuisine: British
Ingredients: 500g rhubarb; 125g castor sugar; ⅓ cup golden syrup (or black treacle); 185g plain flour; 1 tsp ground ginger; ½ tsp cinnamon; grating of fresh nutmeg; pinch salt; 125g butter; 3 tbsp brown sugar; 1 egg; 2 tbsp milk; ½ tsp bicarbonate of soda

Stephanie Alexander

October 19, 2011

Rhubarb gingerbread sponge pudding.Marina Oliphant

Time:30 mins - 1 hourServes:8

Based on the recipe in Margaret Costa's Four Season's Cookery Book. I have changed the quantities to metric and substituted golden syrup for black treacle.

Ingredients

500g rhubarb
125g castor sugar
⅓ cup golden syrup (or black treacle)
185g plain flour
1 tsp ground ginger
½ tsp cinnamon
grating of fresh nutmeg
pinch salt
125g butter
3 tbsp brown sugar
1 egg
2 tbsp milk
½ tsp bicarbonate of soda

Method

Preheat oven to 180C.
Cut the rhubarb into 3cm pieces and put in the bottom of a well-buttered 1-litre ovenproof dish, with the castor sugar.
Measure the golden syrup or treacle and stand measuring cup in hot water so that the syrup will run freely.
Sift the flour, spices and salt together.
Cream the butter and brown sugar until pale and fluffy, then beat in the syrup.
Beat in the egg. Fold in the spiced flour.
Heat the milk, stirring, with the bicarbonate of soda until completely dissolved. Add to the batter. Mix well and spoon the batter over the rhubarb and bake for about 35 minutes until pudding is well-browned and tests cooked with a fine skewer.
Serve with thick cream.