Instructions

Roasted Forced Rhubarb

1. Heat the oven to 160˚C.
2. Line a roasting tin with baking parchment.
3. Trim the leaves from the rhubarb and wash the stems, then dry them and cut into short lengths. Arrange in a roasting tin just big enough to take them in a single layer. Dredge with the sugar and cover with a lid or foil.
4. Bake for fifteen minutes and remove from the oven. Very thick stems may need another five or ten minutes. The rhubarb will still be slightly “al dente” but bathed in pink syrup.
5. Leave until cool, still covered, by which time the rhubarb will be perfectly soft.

Custard and Ginger Cream

1. Put the milk in a saucepan. Place the pan over a medium heat. Scald, by gently heating it until steaming. Just before it bubbles, take off the heat.
2. Put the egg yolks and sugar in a medium bowl and mix well. Then the flours and mix well to combine and ensure there are no lumps. Gradually stir in the milk.
3. Return the mixture to a clean saucepan and place over a low to medium heat. Bring to the boil, stirring continuously with a wooden spoon. It will go lumpy, but persevere and stir vigorously and it will become smooth. Turn the heat down and simmer for 2 minutes.
4. Remove from the heat and transfer to a bowl and place a disc of greaseproof paper on top, in contact with the surface to prevent a skin forming. Set aside to cool.
5. Once cool, pass through a sieve using a spatula. Fold through the lightly whipped cream and grated stem ginger and taste for seasoning, add more ginger if needed. Leave aside in the fridge until needed.

To assemble

1. Layer the meringue, custard and poached rhubarb in alternate layers in a glass. Garnish with crushed gingernuts or amaretti.