Description[]
German rhubarb squares
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 tbsp breadcrumbs
Meringue[]
- 3.5 ounces (100 grams) ground almonds
- 4.5 ounces (125 grams) sugar
- 4 egg whites
Directions[]
- 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 minutes to rest.
- Wash and peel the rhubarb, and cut it in ½ to ¾ 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 ¼ 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 sweeter than a pie crust, though).
- Poke holes all over the crust with a fork and bake in a preheated 400°F oven for 15 – 20 minutes.
- 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.
- Distribute the egg white mixture over the baked and still hot rhubarb cake and bake at 450°F for 10 minutes until the meringue is lightly browned.