I roasted some stalks of rhubarb and a vanilla been, all sprinkled with sugar in a 375℉ oven for 15 minutes or so. This resulted in tender but not falling apart rhubarb and a beautiful pink syrup speckled with vanilla seeds. I used this rhubarb in between the layers of bread in the pudding. To replace the apple butter, I cooked some sliced rhubarb with sugar, cardamom pods, a vanilla bean and a bit of water until it fell apart. I then reduced it until it was very thick and spreadable. I spread this on the bread and it was delicious--you could really taste the cardamom.
I only made 2 ramekins of the bread pudding, as it's not one of my favourite desserts, but I regretted this as soon as I tasted it. It may look a bit schlumpy and unappealing, but this was fantastic! Rhubarb and custard are a perfect match, and mine was really custardy. Here's a photo I snapped as I was eating the second one, minutes after finishing the first. Yes, it's a bit blurry, but I wanted to eat it before it cooled off. Notice I didn't bother with the sauce and roasted rhubarb garnish the second time around.
I have also made rhubarb soda, rhubarb tarts and rhubarb fool/pavlova with my mountain of rhubarb, but the pictures are stuck on a camera that stubbornly refuses to turn on. I'll post those, and the other rhubarb desserts I have in mind when I can figure out how to get the pictures.
I am a huge rhubarb junkie as well! Growing it in my yard as we speak. Mmmm.
ReplyDeleteLove the use of rhubarb instead of the apple - wish I had thought of that too. The first photo is amazing with all of those tiny tiny vanilla seeds, great post
ReplyDeleteSo Mary, do you grow rhubarb? It is 3.99/lb in the stores here. YIKES! Although not a rhubarb fan, I'm thinking the cardamom might change my mind. Great idea.
ReplyDeleteYour rhubarb recipes sound delicious. I'm hoping to find some at the farmers' market soon.
ReplyDeleteRhubarb...what an interesting choice.
ReplyDeleteMy son would love it.
I love rhubarb.. and this looks delish!
ReplyDeleteYum! I think you should have put rhubarb on the french toast too!
ReplyDeleteOh, it looks most appealing to me! Great substitution and creativity! Very nice!
ReplyDeleteEach one of your treats looks better than the last, but it was the French toast that had me whimpering. Great use of all of that rhubarb!
ReplyDeleteYes, I guess someone could get away with eating bread pudding without teeth. :D
ReplyDeleteI love rhubarb too! And that piece of decadent French toast looks fantastic.
Wow Mary !! Not having ever eaten rhubarb I feel so curious !! I'd love to visit you in a rhubarb binge !
ReplyDeleteoh my goodness i'm drooling! that sounds amazing with the rhubarb, and the french toast is gorgeous!
ReplyDeleteOooeee!! The French Toast looks fantastic!!! I never thought of using bread pudding for that. Wonderful!!
ReplyDeleteYum it looks very tasty! Nice photos too!!
ReplyDeleteLOTS of rhubarb out there this week. Great sub. And it looks wonderful.
ReplyDeleteI seriously considered going the rhubarb route with this, also, but buckled in the end and used apples. After seeing how good yours looks I'm smacking myself! Great job!
ReplyDeleteRhubarb scares me a little bit (not sure why), but your bread pudding looks so good! My mom loves it, so maybe i'll give your version a try for her!
ReplyDeleteI like that you used fruit that is fresh and in season. Nice twist to dorie's recipe.
ReplyDeleteMimi
Am I the only person who has never had rhubarb--in anything, EVER? What does it taste like?
ReplyDeleteGreat photos, btw!
Way to use your resources--rhubarb. Good stuff that rhubarb. Your bread pudding looks just right (unlike mine!) ;)
ReplyDeleteYum! What a perf ect combination, and you have presented it so beautifully (unlike me and mhy slab ona plate!).
ReplyDeleteI love that you made this with rhubarb. I used to have it in my garden but now that I live in an apartment I don't have the same access. Your's looks delicious!
ReplyDeleteHi Mary. This looks so Yum! Rhubarb sounds like a great substitution for the apples. Nice use of the leftovers too!!
ReplyDeleteI didn't bake along this week. My fav pie in college was strawberry rhubarb pie. I've never made anything with rhubarb so far but yours look like a wonderful bread pudding. Yumm!
ReplyDeletei'm on a rhubarb bender, too, nad i can only imagine how good it was in this pudding! the gorgeous pink syrup is one of the best parts of cooking rhubarb...i also like doing homemade sodas out of it!
ReplyDeleteYour bread pudding and french toast look fabulous. The rhubarb makes such a lovely color. While I'm not a rhubarb fan, I certainly think your bread pudding would taste as good as it looks.
ReplyDeleteHow creative! I haven't had rhubarb in ages (but my grandmother used to make rhubarb pie...blech!), so I need to try it again. My MIL has a couple of big rhubarb plants, so I need to take advantage of that!
ReplyDeleteYour bread pudding looks terrific! Rhubarb is fun to bake with, I look forward to seeing what else you've made.
ReplyDeleteyour PB looks delish - most with and without the rhubarb sauce!! So glad you enjoyed it!
ReplyDeleteMmm, rhubarb! Your bread pudding looks positively elegant.
ReplyDeleteI've just become a rhubarb convert-yummy stuff. What a great idea to add it to your pudding instead of the apples. Yum Dittos for the French toast.
ReplyDeleteI also love rhubarb! What a great variation on this yummy pudding :-)
ReplyDeletesuper delicious...I'm drooling all over my laptop... :)
ReplyDeleteI'm making rhubarb soda this weekend...can't wait....anything rhubarb sounds great!