In the kitchen with Elisa
Rhubarb & Strawberry Dessert in a Glass
First signs of spring dessert
When it comes to seasonal food, I am always in! :) Why? Because, everything tastes much better when it´s in season. Also it is a great way to support local producers. When I think about spring and what means to me that spring has come, the first food that comes to my mind is rhubarb. I don´t know why, but somehow rhubarb is the first sign of spring to me :) The strong second is asparagus and you will see some delicious recipes with asparagus soon here as well.
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As I follow many foodbloggers all around the world and some are lucky to live in places where spring comes earlier than here, I saw so many photos of beautiful rhubarb creations, before I finally managed to find some in a local store. And yes, first time I saw it, I bought it, along with some fresh strawberries, which surprisingly taste pretty good already (not local yet though, but still). At that moment I had no clue what I was going to make with the beautiful produce I got, I just knew I had to make something. There was another recipe that I created first, for this soft and spongy Rhubarb and Strawberry Almond Cake :) After that recipe I thought, why not share a recipe for something my mom used to make with rhubarb and what I have been making myself with rhubarb ever since. In Finland and in Estonia, where I come from, these kind of fruit and berry compotes or kissels are very popular. If you have never tried something like this, give it a go :) It is a very fresh and flavorful dessert. Also you can make it almost with any fruit or berry you like.
You could ​make this dessert with just the rhubarb and strawberry layer, but I think as rhubarb is very sour it needs something to it and also I have heard that you need to eat it with something dairy, so I decided to add another Finnish speciality to it, a milk pudding. The result of combining these two is a very refreshing spring dessert. And this has now become one of my favorite ways to enjoy rhubarb.
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Before I go, fun fact, as a kid I used to eat rhubarb raw, yes, it is super sour, but I was dipping it into some sugar and I loved it :) I don´t think I could handle it that way anymore.
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Do you have a fun food story? :) Tell me in the comments below :) And I hope you will like my first signs of spring dessert, the rhubarb and strawberry dessert in a glass.
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Enjoy!
Step by Step Video
RECIPE
Rhubarb & Strawberry Dessert
First signs of spring dessert
​INGREDIENTS
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4 rhubarb stalks (thin)
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300g strawberries, fresh or frozen
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50g sugar
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400ml cold water
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30g cornstarch + 6-7tsp cold water
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30g cornstarch
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20-30g sugar
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1tsp vanilla paste or vanilla extract (don´t skip this)
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400ml milk
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fresh strawberries for decoration (optional)
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DIRECTIONS
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Cube the rhubarb and strawberries into small cubes.
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Add the rhubarb, the strawberries, the sugar and 400ml of cold water to a medium pot, turn up the heat to high and bring to boil. Once boiling turn the heat down to medium and allow to simmer for about 10 minutes.
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Then mix 30g of cornstarch with 6-7 teaspoons of water until it has completely incorporated and become liquid like. Then remove the pot from the heat and while mixing add the cornstarch to it. Return to heat and allow to come to boil. Mix again shortly and remove from heat. Portion the hot rhubarb and strawberry compote into dessert glasses right away as it sets while cooling. Then allow to cool completely before moving to the next step.
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To prepare the milk pudding add cornstarch, sugar and the vanilla paste to a small pot. Add about half of the milk and mix well until combined. Then add the rest of the milk and start heating it on high heat while constantly mixing. Once the milk pudding comes to boil, continue boiling it for a couple of minutes while mixing continuously until it becomes thick and pudding like. Then remove from heat and portion on top of the rhubarb and strawberry compote.
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Slice two strawberries into halves and then slice each half thinly into about 4 slices. Decorate each dessert with one half of a strawberry.
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Serve cold.
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