Baked Rhubarb and Rose Geranium Compote with Little Pavlovas
Description
Serves 10
Rose-scented geranium (Pelargonium capitatum 'Attar of Roses') is a delightfully fragrant plant to grow in your garden or in a pot in a sunny area of a deck. In summer, when roses are in season, I also add red rose petals to this compote to enhance the colour and for their wonderfully natural-tasting flavour. Visit our tiny garden shop next to our kitchen shop because we often have 'Attar of Roses' available for sale.
INGREDIENTS
125g (1/2 cup + 2 tbsp + 1 tsp) sugar
7 rose-scented geranium leaves
500g rhubarb (washed and cut into 3-4cm lengths)
30ml (2 tbsp) water
10 Little Pavlovas (recipe follows)
500ml (2 cups) cream (lightly whipped)
20 heartsease petals (optional)
METHOD
- Preheat oven to 180°C.
- Into a 1.5 - 2Litre gratin dish sprinkle a third of the sugar and spread across base. Scatter geranium leaves over sugar and top with half the rhubarb. Repeat layers of sugar and rhubarb then drizzle with water.
- Cover gratin loosely with aluminium foil. Bake for 35-45 minutes (depending on how thick the rhubarb stalks are) or until fork tender.
- Cool, then cover and refrigerate overnight for flavours to develop fully.
- Remove geranium leaves and serve rhubarb at room temperature with Little Pavlovas and whipped cream. Garnish with heartsease petals if you wish.
Little Pavlovas
Makes 10
INGREDIENTS
8 (1 cup) egg whites (leave out of the refrigerator for 15 minutes)
1/8 tsp salt
460g (2 cups + 4 tbsp) caster sugar
7g (1 tbsp) cornflour
1 tsp malt vinegar
1/2 tsp vanilla extract
METHOD
- Preheat oven to 100°C. Line 1 or 2 low-sided roasting trays with baking paper.
- Place all the ingredients in the clean dry bowl of an electric mixer. On high speed, whisk for 20-25 minutes or until stiff peaks form and the mixture is satiny with no sugar granules evident. In warm weather this will take less than 20-25 minutes.
- Using a large metal spoon, dollop 10 mounds of mixture onto tray, allowing 2cm between each. Or use 2 large spoons to form quenelles (oval shapes).
- Bake for 40-50 minutes or until pavlovas are crisp on the outside. Remove from oven and cool. Store pavlovas in a cool dry place loosely covered with a tea towel. Do not make them airtight. Store for up to 7 days.