James's Rhubarb Crumble

Oh, but I love Saturday mornings! I get up at ten and watch my favourite cooking programme - 'Saturday Kitchen' on BBC One - while my boyfriend makes chocolate pancakes. I must admit to being a big fan of blue-eyed James Martin, who every week teaches the public to cook something delicious while interviewing famous chefs and guests :-) 

All the recipes mentioned in the programme can be found on the BBC website, and that's where I came across the Rhubarb Crumble. I was looking to use five large rhubarb stalks I had bought, but all the recipes in my cooking books involved the use of double cream or custard, and I wanted something healthier ... so I searched online, and James Martin's version of this classic came up. With some small changes, here it is for you to try. It's easy, quick and full of vitamins - and what better dessert to make now that rhubarb is in season?

Requirements:

• an ovenproof dish

Ingredients:

• 5 large (or 10 small) sticks of rhubarb
• 4 tbsp water
• 8 tbsp caster sugar
• 1 tsp powdered ginger
• 110g softened, unsalted butter
• 110g Demerara sugar
• 200g plain flour
• whipped cream or vanilla ice cream to serve

Method:

Pre-heat the oven to 180 ºC. Cut the rhubarb sticks into chunks and place them on an oven tray. Sprinkle them with the water and caster sugar and roast in the oven for 10 minutes. 

While you wait, make the crumble topping by rubbing the butter into the flour and demerara sugar with your hands, in large bowl. The result will resemble fine breadcrumbs. 

Remove the rhubarb from the oven, sprinkle the powdered ginger on top of it and mix well.

Put the rhubarb into an ovenproof dish and sprinkle the crumble topping over it. Pat down lightly with your hands to even it out, then bake for 35-45 minutes, or until the topping is golden-brown and the rhubarb is bubbling.

Remove the dish from the oven, allow it to cool for a few minutes, then serve the crumble with whipped cream or vanilla ice cream. Keep the remaining crumble in the fridge, and reheat before serving.

When sugar takes away its natural bitterness, rhubarb has a refreshing, zingy taste that is enhanced by the powdered ginger and is perfect on a sunny spring day.