I am lucky to have inherited a rhubarb forcer, a sort of
enormous terracotta pot with a lid. Basically it is placed on top of a rhubarb
plant when it first starts to shoot and provides an early and particularly
tender crop. The lack of light also changes the coloration of the stalks and
leaves so when I removed the forcer yesterday the sight of the practically neon
pink stems made me dead keen to do something interesting.
It so happens that a few months ago, I came across a classic
Danish baking book of my mother’s on her bookshelf: Vi Bager (we bake). In it are several recipes just ripe for
adaptation and with this in mind I created what would probably be termed a rabarbersnitte, but I’ll call a Rhubarb
Danish. Of course, you don’t have to used forced rhubarb and it’d work well
with stewed apple instead. It makes an absolutely delicious slice, but make
sure you eat it the same day.
Makes 12 slices
For the pastry
250g potato (Desiree work well)
100g dairy-free margarine, eg Pure
2 tbsp vegetable oil
2 tbsp apple puree or golden syrup
250g Doves Farm gluten-free self raising flour blend
Extra gluten-free flour for rolling out
For the filling/topping
200g rhubarb
2 tsp water
2 tbsp caster sugar
4 tbsp icing sugar
Oven at 200C. Peel and dice the potato, then cook for a good
15-20 minutes until really soft. Drain and mash. Allow to cool, then stir in
the margarine, oil and apple/syrup. Stir in the flour, finally kneading the mix
to form a dough. Place in the fridge for 20 minutes to cool.
Wipe the rhubarb clean and slice into roughly 1cm slices.
Cook in a pan on a medium heat with a teaspoon of the water and the caster
sugar until the pieces are soft, but still keeping their shape. Remove from the
heat.
Lightly dust a large baking tray with flour and place the
chilled dough on it. Using your fingers and/or a rolling pin, flatten the dough
until it covers the whole tray. Place the cooked rhubarb in a strip about 10cm
wide lengthwise down the centre of the dough. Now fold either side of bare
dough into the centre of the rhubarb strip (don’t worry if the dough breaks up
a bit as you do this, just make good as best you can). You will now have a long
strip-shaped pastry. Bake for 20-25 minutes until golden.
When it comes out of the oven, mix together the icing sugar
with a teaspoon of water and drizzle the icing in zigzags across the pastry.
Slice the pastry widthways into 12 strips and serve.