Recipe: Rhubarb Muffin

"These are made with half brown, half white flour so have a lovely texture that suspends the rhubarb beautifully," says Mercy Fenton in her weekly column.

"They are not overly sweet, the rhubarb giving a lovely sour kick, perfectly softened by the addition of white chocolate at the very end."

Rhubarb Muffins

Ingredients (makes 12 muffins)

120gr cream flour

120gr whole-wheat flour

150gr sugar

1 tsp. ground cinnamon

½ tsp. salt

½ tsp. bread soda

1½ tsp. baking powder

285gr Greek yogurt

115gr melted butter

2 free range eggs

1 tsp. vanilla essence

190gr rhubarb - diced into ¼ inch dice

20gr to 30gr white chocolate drops

Method:

• Preheat the oven to 180 C.
• Line the muffin tray with 12 papers.
• Wash and dry the rhubarb, cut into small dice.
• Whisk together the dry ingredients - flours, sugar, baking powder, bread soda, salt, cinnamon.
• Whisk together the wet ingredients, yogurt, butter, free-range eggs and vanilla.
• Add the wet ingredients to the dry ingredients then stir together quickly.
• Fold in the rhubarb the spoon quickly into the muffin papers.
• Bake in preheated oven for 18 to 20 minutes until golden and cooked through.
• Scatter some white chocolate drops on top as soon as they come out of the oven.
• Transfer to a wire rack to cool.
• If you have any extra rhubarb you can make a compote, and refrigerate or freeze.

Rhubarb Compote

150gr Forced Rhubarb, - washed and dried and cut into very small dice.

40gr Sugar (more to taste, it needs to be tart)

Method:

• When adding rhubarb to yogurts or creams it’s good to have it as thick as possible. To do this cook over a low heat with just the sugar and a lid, once soft remove the lid, increase the heat and keep stirring to drive off any moisture and stop the puree catching at the bottom of the pot.
• Break up with a wooden spoon or puree with a blender if you want.
• Allow to cool and keep refrigerated until ready to use, add to yogurt or whipped cream as a simple dessert or breakfast treat with granola.