Rhabarberkuchen mit Makronenhaube

Ingredients
Dough:


 * 10.5 ounces (300 grams) flour
 * 4.4 ounces (125 grams) butter
 * 3.5 ounces (100 grams) sugar
 * 4 egg yolks (use the whites in the meringue)
 * 1 egg
 * 1 packet vanilla sugar

Topping:


 * 3.5 pounds (1.5 kg) rhubarb (6-7 large stalks)
 * 10.5 ounces (300 grams) sugar
 * 3 TBS breadcrumbs

Meringue:


 * 3.5 ounces (100 grams) ground almonds
 * 4.5 ounces (125 grams) sugar
 * 4 egg whites

Directions

 * 1) Sieve the flour into a large, flat bottomed bowl. Add the sugar and mix well. Cut the butter in with a pastry cutter. Separate 4 eggs; set the whites aside. Add the four yolks plus one whole egg to the flour and butter mixture; add the vanilla . Knead briefly (it will be very dry and crumbly -- that's okay). Place the dough in the refrigerator for 30
 * 2) minutes to rest.
 * 3) Wash and peel the rhubarb, and cut it in 1/2 to 3/4 inch pieces. Line a cookie sheet with parchment paper. Don't grease the pan (or if you don't have parchment paper you can try it with a greased pan instead.) Roll the dough out to about 1/4 inch thick. Make a ridge around the edge to help keep in the juices. (You could try to make this as a pie...this amount would probably make two small pies. The crust is thicker, denser, and
 * 4) sweeter than a pie crust, though.)
 * 5) Poke holes all over the crust with a fork and bake in a preheated 400 F oven for 15-20 minutes.
 * 6) Mix the 10.5 ounces of sugar in with the rhubarb and let them sit together briefly to create some juice. Spread the breadcrumbs over the pre-baked crust. Spread the rhubarb evenly over the crust, along with the sugar/juices. Bake for 20 minutes at 400 F until the rhubarb is soft. Beat the egg whites until they are stiff. Slowly add 4.5 ounces of sugar and continue to beat until it's thick and creamy. Fold the ground almonds into the egg whites.
 * 7) Distribute the egg white mixture over the baked and still hot rhubarb cake  and bake at 450 F 10 minutes until the meringue is lightly browned.