Baked Rhubarb Custard

close up image of nigella's rhubarb custard in a baking dish with a spoon beside it.

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4.63 from 8 votes

Nigella's baked rhubarb custard, an easy to make rhubarb pudding perfect for the season.

Prep Time30

Cook Time1

Total Time1 30

Course: Desserts

Cuisine: English

Servings:

Calories: 285kcal

Author: Adina

Equipment

1 Baking dish about 25x20 cm/ 10x8 inches

Ingredients

½ cup granulated sugar 100 g/ 3.5 oz/
2.2 lbs rhubarb 1 kg
½ cup (scant) water 100 ml/ 3.5 fl.oz
4 eggs
4 egg yolks
⅓ cup + 1 tablespoon granulated sugar 75 g/ 2.5 oz
2½ cups full-fat milk 600 ml/20 fl.oz
1 teaspoon pure vanilla extract

Instructions

Prepare rhubarb: Clean and chop into small pieces, about 3 cm/ 1.2 inch. Place in a pot and add the water and 100 g/ 3.5 oz/ ½ cup sugar. Cover, bring to a boil, and simmer on low heat for about 5 minutes. Strain through a sieve, but don't push through the strainer.
Preheat the oven to 160 degrees Celsius/ 320 degrees Fahrenheit.
Make the custard: Beat the eggs, egg yolks, sugar, and vanilla extract with a fork. Bring the milk to a boil, but don't let it boil (Note). Slowly add the milk to the egg mixture while beating with the fork. Add the rhubarb and stir gently. Pour everything into a baking dish.
Waterbath: Place the baking dish with the custard into a larger baking tray and pour boiling water (from a kettle) into the larger tray to come halfway up the baking dish containing the custard.
Bake for 45 minutes to 1 hour. It is done when the top of the custard is quivering to the touch, but it is not liquid. Take the custard out of the water and let it stand for a while before serving; it will continue setting while it stands.

Notes

Heat the milk in a heat-proof jug; it will be easier to pour it into the egg mixture. Or heat it in a saucepan and transfer it to a jug for easy pouring.

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