by Rivka
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3/4 pounds
rhubarb (about 6 stalks)
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4 tablespoons
water
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1/4 cup
sugar
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4
egg yolks
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1/3 cup
plus 1/8 cup sugar
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1 teaspoon
lemon zest
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2 teaspoons
lemon juice
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3 tablespoons
butter, cut into chunks
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12 tablespoons
butter, cut into chunks
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1/4 cup
powdered sugar
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1/2 teaspoon
salt
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1 1/2 cup
all-purpose flour
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1/4 teaspoon
powdered galangal or ginger
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1/4 teaspoon
cinnamon
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Wash rhubarb and trim as little off the ends as possible. Cut rhubarb into 1-inch chunks. In a small saucepan, heat rhubarb, 1/4 sugar, and water on medium. Cook until rhubarb falls apart and there are no whole pieces left, adding water by the tablespoon if rhubarb sticks to the bottom of the pan. At this point, either use an immersion blender to puree the mixture, or (if you’re like me and your blender is otherwise occupied) push the mixture through a strainer. The first method is definitely easier.
Ask the hotline about this step!Preheat oven to 350. Now, make the shortbread: blend all ingredients in a stand mixer or food processor until combined. Wrap in plastic and refrigerate about 1 hour. Then, either roll into 8×8 square and place square in 8-inch square baking pan, or dump dough into pan and use fingertips to press evenly into pan. Bake 30 minutes, until golden. Let cool on a rack or on the counter.
Ask the hotline about this step!Add a couple inches of water to the pot of a double boiler and set over medium heat. Put egg yolks, butter, remaining sugar, lemon zest, and lemon juice in the boil of the double boiler and whisk to combine. When sugar has dissolved completely, add the rhubarb puree by the spoonful, to temper the eggs. When all rhubarb has been added, set bowl over pot; the water should be simmering. Continue stirring the rhubarb mixture; after about 5 minutes, the mixture will be warm and slightly thickened. At this point, remove from heat. Press through a strainer -- this will give your curd that smooth, pudding-like texture.
Ask the hotline about this step!Use an offset spatula to spread curd evenly over shortbread. If you haven’t eaten half the bowl right then and there, you should have enough curd to make a layer about the thickness of the shortbread; I didn’t. Bake another 10 minutes, then remove from oven and cool on rack. Refrigerate about 20 minutes, and you’ll find that they’ve firmed up enough to slice cleanly. Cut into 16 equal bars. Dust with powdered sugar before serving; do your best not to polish them all off in one sitting.
Ask the hotline about this step!Now that the spring has arrived here in Sao Paulo I cannot wait to bake these - yum!
OMG, this rhubarb curd is AMAZING. the shortbread + curd is in the oven now looking gorgeous (i had to add some cold water to my shortbread mixture to get it to come together- did anyone else do this?). does anyone have that wms-sonoma ebelskiver pancake pan? using this curd as the filling would be insanely good.
did gluttonforlife ever post a butterless curd recipe?
thank you rivka!
I've gotten as far as the puree and I can tell these are going to be fantastic. This color is incredible. Oh lovely rhubarb--how long has your beauty been covered by the brashness (however delicious) of strawberry? Thanks for a recipe that lets rhubarb's glory shine!
I did use a food mill for the puree and it worked great.
I just made this last week, and I want to tell you it is so good. It is a keeper for my dessert collection. Thank you so much.
Made these today for mother's day... absolutely delicious. The curd was so good, and the shortbread crust just made it awesome.
Love 'em... thinking that it needs something nutty. Anyone tried oatmeal or graham flour in the shortbread?
Haven't yet, but planning to try a granola crust next week - will report back.
I grew up with rhubarb and I'm missing it dearly now that it won't grow in Texas (at least I can't seem to get it going). I will have to try this recipe once I can find fresh rhubarb!
My parents are visiting from interstate soon and my Mum adores rhubarb so I think I will have to make this for her. It looks so beautiful.
These are seriously addictive. I might have to give the rest away before I eat them all..
made these for a rehearsal dinner -- beautiful and delicious and different.
Love these! The shortbread stays nice and soft. I would make them in a slightly larger pan next time - perhaps a 7 x 10 in order to make each bar a bit smaller and make the entire recipe go a bit farther. I must admit I ate most of the pan myself!
I talked my mom into making these last week for her dinner guests...made sure she saved a few for me...they are fantastic! Great recipe Rivka!
Made these today with a slightly different shortbread recipe. I also added a few strawberries to the fruit mixture. I must say this is divine! I never thought I liked rhubarb, but I decided to give this winning recipe a try to test it out and low and behold - I like it! Thanks!
Several ppl have told me that they don't like rhubarb but enjoy these bars. I think the eggs tame the rhubarb's acidity, and the custard-like texture of the curd brings out the flavor of the rhubarb more subtly. Glad you enjoyed!
This looks delicious. I'm going to try it...now!
I have a recipe for nuked lemon curd(it's so easy) do you think it would work with the rhubarb ???
Not knowing anything about the recipe, it's hard to say -- but hey, worth a try...right?
The hardest part was pushing the curd through the sieve but it did result in a silky smooth curd. This recipe combined two of my husband' s favorite things--shortbread and rhubarb (no strawberries mixed in).
Do you think a food mill would work instead of a sieve/immersion blender? Would the holes be small enough?
I put the cooked rhubarb and liquid into my food processor and they turned out fine. I also didn't push through the strainer after making the curd. The strainer seems to have gotten lost in the sand box already this year. I knew they wouldn't be quite as smooth, but there were no complaints from those eating them.
I just joined the site and this was the first recipe to try, needless to say, I am hooked and can't wait to try something else. The bars turned out great, liked by everyone, including my 4 year old daughter, who is obsessed with all things pink. We enjoyed them with friends at our Mother's Day brunch. Thanks again for the great recipe.
Congrats! I love this recipe and the ideas it has given me to make other kinds of curd!!
Exactly! It's a fantastic recipe that keeps on giving! I'm currently thinking about blueberry curd/meringue pie.
Congrats!
thanks! I made your rhubarb tonight -- truly phenomenal. Like I said earlier, that earl grey-rhubarb combo is brilliant.
Congrats! Well deserved.
These were delicious! My husband called them The Perfect Food. They took a *long* time to set up, but even with ragged edges, they were good. I am laughing out loud at the 16-bar yield, though -- I cut mine into nine large squares, and still our friends cried out for more.
I hear you -- making 16 pieces doesn't mean everyone gets only 1! :)
Oh yum! I just got my first rhubarb of the season this weekend at our opening Farmers Market, and I'm going to make these tonight!
I made these tonight, and they're chilling in the refrigerator right now. My rhubarb wasn't as pink, so they're not quite as pretty as yours. But, you're right; I could've eaten the whole bowl of the curd alone!
I'm a little worried they're not setting up as firmly as they should, but hopefully they'll get firmer as they get colder.
tasty, isn't it? :) if they don't firm up after a night in the fridge, try baking them off for ten more minutes or so -- that should do it.
Hi Rivka,
I tried baking for a few more minutes this morning, and they came out perfectly! I'm sure it's my shoddy, uneven oven (though I shouldn't talk too badly about it, considering the workout I give it...).
Congratulations on the win! It's well-deserved!
This recipe is divine. I only found white rhubarb at the market, so did a 50/50 mix of strawberries & rhubarb - it had to be pink! Delicious. Fragrant. Heavenly. Thanks, Rivka.
so glad these worked. in a strange coincidence, my mom also made the curd this weekend with berries. She said it didn't come out perfect, but my dad called her crazy.
Congratulatins! This looks fantastic. I'm going back to the farmers' market this weekend to get more rhubarb!
What a fantastic idea! I adore rhubarb and now I can't quite believe I've been stuck on lemon curd for so long. This opens up a whole new universe of curd love. Thank you!
Those little pink squares are darling. Congrats!
This is lovely!!
yum! I'm not sure I'd have enough curd left to put on the shortbread! (I'd eat most of it.) Congrats Rivka!
Thanks all! Gotta give credit where it's due: Lara Feroni over at cook and eat has the most beautiful pictures of rhubarb bars, where I got the inspiration for this recipe. The photos are just drool-worthy -- a must-see: http://cookandeat.com/2010/04/22/rhubarb-bars/. Lara was inspired by this post on Ginger Tablet: http://www.gingertablet.info/2009/02/pancake-day-and-rhubarb-curd.html -- the interwebs are one big food incubator, aren't they?
Reminds me of the lemon squares I used to make--congratulations!
Sign me up for the curd loving group! And with rhubard? It's gotta be GREAT.
Sounds delicious! I, too, am a curd fanatic. I'm going to post my recipe for butterless lemon curd--so satisfying, without so many calories...
I definitely want to see this!!
Me too!
Just when I think I have cleaned up all the pink splotches on my stove, here comes another winner! Rhubarb curd alone is a thumbs up -
Dorie is a food writer and award-winning author of ten cookbooks, her most recent being Around My French Table: More Than 300 Recipes from My Home to Yours.
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Rhubarb, lemon zest, sugar, flour, confectioner's sugar, clove, ginger, cinnamon and a nude egg.
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The rhubarb gets cooked with sugar and a little water.
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Entering a crowded and cluttered lair.
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The sugar turns to syrup and coats the rhubarb.
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Amanda solemnly prepares the shortbread.
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The rhubarb halfway on its route to puree.
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Amanda's tiny baking corner.
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Is it a bird? No, just confectioner's sugar.
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Merrill cracking eggs.
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The cinnamon, clove and ginger go right into the food processor with the butter, flour and sugar.
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This is what it looks like when it's ready. Crumbly but clingy.
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Ready to chill in the fridge.
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The rhubarb cooks down to this thick saucelike consistency.
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We were convinced it wouldn't puree -- for the first time in our lives, we were wrong!
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The foundation of rhubarb curd: yolks and butter.
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Sugar, too.
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Merrill adds the rhubarb puree.
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Then she gets whisking.
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Next, we pressed the shortbread into a baking dish.
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After baking and cooling (slightly) the shortbread, we spread the curd on top.
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We'd each like a pair of flats this color. Zappos, do you hear us?
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After the curd and shortbread bake for 10 minutes, the curd firms up a bit.
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Now that the spring has arrived here in Sao Paulo I cannot wait to bake these - yum!