April 2010 Hedgerow Rhubarb Panacotta with Fried Custard

Serves 4

Rhubarb Panacotta

100ml Rhubarb Purée

150ml Guernsey Whipping Cream

150ml Guernsey Milk

50g Caster Sugar

1 Vanilla Pod ( split lengthways )

125g Soft Guernsey Goats Cheese

25g Diced Poached Rhubarb

1.5 leaves Gelatine

Fried Custard

600ml Guernsey Milk

90g Caster Sugar

1 Vanilla Pod ( split lengthways )

25g Cornflour

2 Free Range Eggs

Pané Mixture

1 Free Range Egg

50g Plain Flour

50g Ground Almonds or Breadcrumbs

Place the leaf gelatine into a small bowl with half of the Rhubarb purée, leave to soften for several minutes.

Bring to boiling point the milk and cream with the sugar and the vanilla pod.

Remove from the heat, scrape the vanilla seeds from within the pod and discard the pod, pourthe hot liquid onto the Rhubarb purée with the added gelatine and stir until the gelatine has dissolved.

Whisk the soft Goats Cheese into the above and pour onto the remaing Rhubarb puréé before pouring through a fine sieve.

Allow cooling before adding the prepared and poached diced Rhubarb and spooning the cooled mixture into desired moulds. Chillthe desserts in the refridgerator for two hours before serving.

To serve turn out from the moulds by briefly immersing into hot water and serve with Fried Custard.

To prepare the Custard bring to boiling point the milk together with vanilla pod.

Whilst this is heating, whisk together the eggs, cornflour and sugar. Add the hot milk to this mixture and return to a clean saucepan . Place over a low heat and allow to ‘cook out’ gently whilst continually stirring with a wooden spoon or spatula until the custard thickens almost to a paste.

Remove from the heat and pass through a fine sieve using a spatula if necessary.

Place the cooked custard onto a flat tray and spread to a thickness of approx. 1 cm, cover with clingwrap and allow to cool.

Once the paste has set and chilled, cut into desired shapes. Dip each shape into sieved flour, followed by beaten egg mixture and finally coat with ground almonds or breadcrumbs.

Deep fry in vegetable oil and serve hot with the Rhubarb Panacotta, together with  poached Rhubarb and or some fresh strawberries.