With its vibrant colour and tart flavour profile, rhubarb will transform any dish. The pinker and sweeter of the two varieties, forced rhubarb is harvested in the depths of winter, livening up those bleak January and February days with its fluorescent hues. Later spring rhubarb is redder and slightly earthier in taste. Whichever variety you’re using, the recipes below will inspire you to make the most of this seasonal fruit while you can, in tarts, blondies, panna cotta and more.
Mary Berry’s Windfall Pie
Mary’s simple hearty pie is packed with rhubarb and apple and best served with a generous pouring of vanilla custard. Winter survival in dessert form.
From the book
Mary Berry Cook and Share
120 recipes designed for sharing with friends and family
Recipe keys and menus to make event planning easy
From sharing platter dishes and classic bakes, to decadent brunch ideas and Sunday roasts
Rick Stein’s Rhubarb Crumble
A crumble is one of our favourite ways to enjoy seasonal rhubarb and this recipe from Rick Stein, inspired by his mother’s recipe, is a failsafe classic.
Rhubarb Galette Chez Panisse
Rick Stein credits the esteemed Chez Panisse restaurant in California for the recipe for this striking rhubarb tart. The classic galette is made with a deliciously buttery pastry, but, organised in a beautiful herringbone pattern, the rhubarb is the real star of the show.
Jane’s Patisserie’s Rhubarb and Custard Blondies
Rhubarb and custard were made to go together as these heavenly blondies from Jane’s Patisserie prove.
Vanilla Panna Cotta with Rhubarb and Rose and a Sable Biscuit
If you’re on the hunt for the perfect dinner party dessert, look no further. These pretty fluted panna cotta topped with rhubarb look impressive enough to have been made by a pastry chef but the secret lies in the mini Bundt tins used to set them.
Rosewater Rice Pudding with Rhubarb and Cardamom Compote
Here, creamy rice pudding scented with just a touch of rosewater is perfectly offset by a tart rhubarb compote.
Yorkshire Pink ‘Champagne’ Rhubarb Cheesecake
Rhubarb adds just the right amount of freshness to this baked cheesecake’s rich and decadent cream cheese filling.
Nigella Lawson’s Rhubarb and Custard Trifle
Nigella’s towering trifle features layers of custard, cream and, of course, bright pink rhubarb.
Nadiya Hussain’s Rhubarb, Rose and Strawberry Bake with a Scone Top
Nadiya’s creative rhubarb bake brings together all of the best parts of an afternoon tea, with a buttery scone topping, a jammy fruit filling and dollops of clotted cream to finish.
Vegan Rhubarb Cashew Cheesecake
This creamy cheesecake boasts a crisp, nutty base and a super creamy cashew filling rippled with rhubarb compote. It also happens to be vegan.
Ainsley Harriott’s Baked Vanilla and Ginger Custard with Stem Ginger Rhubarb
This simple but sophisticated dessert livens up the classic pairing of rhubarb and custard with a hit of ginger.
Baked Rhubarb with Sweet Labneh
One for the rhubarb purists, this straightforward recipe highlights the delicious flavour you can get simply from baking it in the oven and pairing it with thick, creamy sweetened labneh.
Rhubarb and Custard Fool
Pretty in pink, this delicate dessert features an irresistibly creamy vanilla custard brightened up with soft swirls of rhubarb.
Rhubarb Strawberry Coffee Cake
We’re hopping across the pond with this classic American cake featuring rhubarb and strawberry. While our American counterparts might consider this the perfect accompaniment to a mid-morning coffee, we also love it with a pot of tea.
