Rhubarb Eton Mess Sundaes

Medium

1.5 hours

Serves 4

A nostalgic British summertime classic with a twist. Tender & tart rhubarb and sweet strawberries are layered with rich vanilla clotted cream ice cream and freshly whipped cream, crumbled meringue nests and a vibrant rhubarb sauce, made using Belvoir Farm Rhubarb & Apple Cordial. A noteworthy Eton Mess sundae laden with creamy indulgence, delicate crunch and tart fruit.

Ingredients

250g	rhubarb
250g	strawberries
50g	caster sugar
200ml	Belvoir Farm Rhubarb and Apple Cordial
300g	double cream
4	meringue nests (lightly crushed)
500ml	vanilla clotted cream ice cream (we recommend Jude’s)

Rhubarb and Apple Cordial

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Method

To Make

Cut the ends off the rhubarb and discard. Slice the remainder into 1cm chunks and lay in a single layer on a baking tin lined with parchment. Scatter half of the sugar over the rhubarb.
Remove the stems from the 250g strawberries. If small cut in half. If large, cut into quarters. Scatter them over the rhubarb and sprinkle the remaining sugar over the top.
Cover the baking dish with foil and leave to stand at room temperature for an hour to allow the sugar to draw out liquid from the rhubarb, helping to preserve its pink colour. After 1 hour, bake for 20-25 minutes at 180℃/ 350℉ until the rhubarb is fork tender. Set aside to cool, then transfer to the fridge to chill.
Make the rhubarb syrup by pouring the Belvoir Farm Rhubarb and Apple Cordial into a small saucepan. Bring up to the boil and reduce until 125ml liquid remains (pour it into a jug to check if necessary. Leave to cool to room temperature but do not chill it.
When ready to serve remove half of the roasted fruit from the baking tin and drain it from the cooking juice. Whip the cream to the soft peak stage. Stir in the drained fruit followed by the crushed meringue nests.
Assemble the sundaes:
- Drizzle some of the rhubarb sauce down the sides of the serving glasses.
- Reserve 4 chunks of rhubarb then add a spoonful of the remaining fruit (no need to drain it) to the base of the glasses.
- Add a generous spoonful of the cream followed by a scoop of ice cream.
- Repeat the layering of fruit, cream and ice cream until all ingredients are used up, finishing with layers of cream and a scoop of ice cream.
- Garnish the top of each sundae with a fresh strawberry, the reserved rhubarb chunks and a further drizzle of rhubarb sauce. Serve immediately.

Expert Tips

For the very best colour use forced rhubarb, which is typically in season in the UK from late December through to late March.
Summer rhubarb can be used instead of forced rhubarb but seek out stems with plenty of deep pink colour and follow the preparation instructions carefully to retain the best colour – it is essential to let it rest with the sugar before cooking it to help preserve the colour.

You can use either store-bought or homemade meringue nests for this recipe.