I love making desserts with whatever fruit is in season and in spring, you can quite often get the early pink rhubarb, which has more delicate flavour, or the more chunkier crop a little later in the year, which has more flavour and deeper in colour. You need to roast the rhubarb first for this dish. This is lovely light dessert, more of an egg custard pudding rather than a sponge. 

Ingredients

serves 6

500g rhubarb

Grated zest & juice of 1 orange

Pinch of ground cinnamon

2 pieces stem ginger in syrup, chopped into small pieces

FOR THE TOPPING

50g plain flour

125g caster sugar

Pinch salt

3 large eggs

250ml milk

Icing sugar for dusting

Method

1. First wash, trim and cut up the rhubarb into 5cm lengths and put in a separate baking dish with the zest and juice of an orange, a pinch of cinnamon and the stem ginger. Drizzle over 2 tbsps of honey.

2. Give it a good mix roast in the BBQ with the lid closed, for about 15 minutes. You want the rhubarb to still hold its shape and not go all to mush. Leave to cool while you make the topping.

3. Into a bowl, sift the flour, add the sugar and salt and give it a good stir. Beat the eggs in a small bowl and then pour these into the centre of the dry ingredients (make a little well) and, using a hand whisk, gradually bring in the flour from the sides – like you are making a batter and pour in the milk, a little at a time until it is all incorporated. Give it a good whisk. It should be lovely and smooth.

4. Butter your baking dish and carefully spoon out the rhubarb and place on the bottom and pour over the batter. There will be a little juice left. Save this to pour over the dessert once you’ve dished up.

5. Bake for about 40 minutes until it is lightly brown, just set and it should have puffed up a little. It’s best eaten warm but it is also nice cold. Dust with icing sugar. Serve with pouring cream or eat it on its own.

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