Monday, June 4, 2007

RHUBARB COBBLER

During the warmers days, I love to prepare seasonal baked fruit desserts that I usually eat as the main dish, for supper...

At the moment, we can still buy rhubarb (not for much longer, though), so I naturally chose this wonderful vegetable (no, it's not a fruit!) in order to make this lovely speciality.

A cobbler (see infos) is an old-fashioned traditional English and American baked cake-like dessert that generally contains fruits. It's name derives from the verb "to cobble" which means "to patch" something roughly. You can quite understand why it got called in this way when you know that it is a kind of patchwork combining fruits and cake dough that are hastily put together without much of a fuss. The dough of a cobbler can either be poured on top of the fruits or just simply used as a crust that will be covered with fruits. To be honest with you, there's not much difference as both ways give a very similar result...

This "Rhubarb Cobbler" is absolutely delicious! It is very light terxtured, fluffy, slightly caramelized on the edges, crispy on it's top and has a smooth/moist center.
The spices add the right tinge of flavor needed, thus not being overpowering, but just mingling delicately with the rhubarb and balancing it's singular taste in the most perfect way. Every spoonful of this treat is gorgeously wicked and extremely comforting, and that submerging taste of butter sends you straight to another dimension. Amazing!

Another great recipe that was taken from a book I cherish very much: "
The King Arthur Flour Baker's Companion: The All-Purpose Baking Cookbook"...

~ Rhubarb Cobbler ~
Recipe by The King Arthur Flour and adapted by Rosa @ Rosa's Yummy Yums

Makes one cobbler for 2-4, or 8 wedges

Ingredients for the cake:
1 Cup (128g) Plain white flour
1 Tsp Baking powder

2/3 Tsp Salt
2 Eggs (~53g)
1 Cup (210g) Castor sugar
2 Tbs (30g) Unsalted butter, softened

2 Tbs (30g) Milk
For the rhubarb topping:
3-4 Cups Rhubarb, chopped
1/2 Cup (100g) Castor sugar
1 Tbs Lemon juice

1 Tsp Vanilla extract
2-3 Tbs Amaretto
1/4 Cup (62g) Water
1 Tsp Ground cinnamon
1/3 Tsp Ground ginger

Method:
1. Preheat the oven to 190° C (375° F).
2. Grease a 23 x 23cm (9 x 9 Inch) square pan.
3. Mix the flour, baking powder and salt together and set aside.
4. Beat together the eggs and 1 cup sugar, until the mixture is pale and frothy.
5. Then, add the butter and milk.

6. Mix energically until well blended.
7. Add the flour mixture, stirring just to combine.
8. Pour the batter into the greased pan.
For the rhubarb topping:
9. In a medium-sized saucepan, simmer together the lemon juice, sugar, vanilla extract, Amaretto, water, cinnamon and ginger for 3-4 minutes.

10. Add the rhubarb and stir to coat with the syrup.
11. Pour this hot fruit mixture over the batter in the pan.
12. Bake for 30-40 minutes or until the cobbler, until
skewer inserted in the middle of the cake comes out clean.

Remarks:
You can make this cobbler with many different fruits, alone or in combination (strawberries, peaches, apricots, cherries, pears, plums, blueberries, etc...) as long as you keep the same quantity as with the rhubarb.
If you choose other fruits, you might want to change the spices and flavoring used for the topping.
Whatever fruit you use should be peeled, cored and cut into bite-sized pieces. Berries just need to be hulled...

Serving suggestions:
Serve hot/warm or even at room temperature with unsweetened condensed milk/evaporated milk (my favorite, see infos), whipped cream or with a scoop of vanilla ice cream.

20 comments:

  1. j ai moi aussi fait des desserts à la rhubarbe dernièrement... j aime bcp d ailleurs le petit gout acidulé de la rhubarbe

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  2. je prendrai une grosse part avec de la crème anglais , s'il te plait !
    j'adore la rhubarbe mais je n'ai ja mais essayé de faire un cobbler : a tester

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  3. I love rhubarb in dessert! Yours sound wonderful. I gotta find some time to make something with rhubarb soon!

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  4. It looks just great! It's a pity I can't buy rhubarb here in Andalucia. I love it!

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  5. J'adore la rhubarbe, alors inutile de préciser que ce dessert me plaît beaucoup!!

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  6. la rhubarbe, c'est tres bon avec son cote acidulee!!
    vraiment pas mal;;;;
    mois aussi je prepare un sujet avec un peu de rhubarbe et sourtout pour feter biento midsommar
    bises et a bientot
    Vivi

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  7. MYDA: Merci pour ta visite et ton commentaire! Oui, j'adore son goût acidulé...

    MOUNET: Comment peut-on refuser quand c'est demandé aussi gentiment ;-P! Je te recommande vivement cette succulente recette...

    ANH: Thanks! Yes, rhubarb rules!

    ZORRA: Thanks, Zorra! It's sad that you can't find rhubarb in Adalucia, especially if you love it...

    CHRIS: Merci, Chris ;-P!

    VIVIS: Merci pour ton commentaire et ta visite! J'adore ce qui est acidulé, c'est pourquoi la rhubarbe me plaît énormément. Je suis impatiente de voir ton billet à ce sujet! Bises..

    VERONICA: Merci, Vero ;-P!

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  8. J'aime beaucoup la rhubarbe !! Surtotu quand il y a des griottes et des pistaches

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  9. Huuuummmm! ça doit être bien bon!

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  10. I completely agree, rhubarb is always delicious! I have them in my garden, I've used some for compote this year and I'm looking forward to all the simple but delicious pies and rhubarbcreams I'm going to do this summer. Rhubarb is just so Swedish summer-like:)

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  11. holalaaaaaa!!! quel délice!! biiises micky

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  12. I have never seen rhubarb plant....looks like the shape of a celery ya.

    Your pie looks yummy :D

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  13. Très belle recette pour un légume délicieusement doux amer. J'aime aussi faire une compote à la rhubarbe que je mets sur des rôties, le matin ou sur une glace vanille comme dessert. La nôtre tarde à arriver dans les marchés. J'ai bien hâte!

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  14. Je n'ai pas encore acheté de rhubarbe cette année, ce dessert est sublime, j'en veux !

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  15. POM D'API: Oui, ça c'est aussi pas mal du tout...

    LAKBIRA31: En effet, c'est SUPER bon ;-P!

    PIA K: You are very lucky to grown your own rhubarb! This vegetable is delicious when used in any recipe. Yes, it's also very Swiss-like...

    MICKYMATH: Merci :-D! Bises...

    SHIONGE: Thanks! It looks a little like celery, but it has nothing in comment with it. Rhubarb is a very acid vegetable that originates from China and that can be used in sweet or savory dishes...

    GATO AZUL: Merci! Oui, c'est une superbe façon d'apprêter ce légume. Ici, c'est bientôt fini (fin juin)...

    GUYLAINE: Merci! Je t'en offre sans problème... Alors, il faut que tu te dépèches!

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  16. Encore une nouvelle idée pour utiliser toute la rhubarbe qui vient de mon jardin!

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  17. Ta tarte a l'air délicieuse.
    Bises, Marie

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  18. Days get very long in Alaska once summer comes. I saw a rhubarb plant in Skagway, Alaska in mid June that was 5 feet tall and 5 feet across!

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  19. ANONYMOUS: Summer must be gorgeous in Alaska! Wow, that was an immense plant.

    Cheers,

    Rosa

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