Forced rhubarb, produced in the Rhubarb Triangle around Leeds, Wakefield and Bradford, is so named because the plants are placed into darkened sheds and forced to grow quickly in search of light. The result is rhubarb that’s sweeter and more delicate in flavour, and with a particularly vivid pink colour. Some like to artfully tessellate the pink stems on pastries and tarts to rack up those likes, others like to stew it down, sweeten it up and slop it across puddings, normally custard based, for the ultimate nostalgia hit. Us? We just like to eat the stuff, and these are the rhubarb dishes in London that have got us tickled pink.
Pophams
It’s a double hit of pink at Pophams with this rhubarb and pink peppercorn danish. Spiced rhubarb compote; oat, cardamom and honey cake; pink peppercorn crème diplomat; pink pepper icing sugar; and rhubarb purée…oh my.
e5 Bakehouse
Rhubarb season has well and truly arrived at e5 Bakehouse. As well as rhubarb danishes on the counter, the team has added pancakes topped with poached rhubarb, ricotta, mascarpone and almonds to the brunch menu.
Quince Bakery
Combos don’t come much more classic than rhubarb and custard, and that’s exactly what Quince has put into one of its buns – rhubarb compote, vanilla custard, vanilla sugar, job done.
Violet
Claire Ptak is doing a number of rhubarb bakes at Violet, like almond-polenta muffins topped with vanilla-roasted rhubarb and rhubarb buttercream cupcakes, so there’s plenty of pink for you to pick from.
Chatsworth Bakehouse
Crystal Palace fave Chatsworth Bakehouse is keeping it simple for rhubarb season, encasing the glorious pink fruit in flaky pastry and finishing it with a pearl sugar crust.
Llewelyn’s
Ginger is a perfect partner for rhubarb and Llewelyn’s is putting on the pairing with this sticky ginger pudding topped with a scoop of rhubarb ice cream.
Milk
Milk has gone rhubarb mad with this gorge pink plate – it’s buckwheat pancakes with poached forced Yorkshire rhubarb, rhubarb & custard tart, white chocolate crémeux, rhubarb & hibiscus jam, stem ginger syrup and a white choccy shard.
Layla
Get your rhubarb fix at Layla with a slice of this tessellated rhubarb and custard tart, and then pick up a jar of rhubarb jam to take home.
Fink’s
Can’t choose between rice pudding and a pastry? You don’t have to at Fink’s, where you can get creamy rice pudding, and roasted rhubarb on a danish.
Don’t Tell Dad
The bakery half of Queen’s Park spot Don’t Tell Dad is back with another picture perfect rhubarb and hay danish.
Gina
Co-owner Ravneet Gill is a pastry chef so of course there’s a rhubarb dessert on the Gina menu – she’s made a rhubarb jelly and vanilla panna cotta.
Burnt Restaurant
Shepherd’s Bush spot Burnt is upgrading brunch with these buttermilk ricotta pancakes topped with poached rhubarb, vanilla mascarpone and almond crumble.
SlowBurn
Shake it for rhubarb season at SlowBurn, the restaurant that’s hidden inside a Walthamstow denim factory, with this rhubarb-topped crème caramel.
N5 Kitchen
Thought a yum yum was already perfect? Think again because N5 Kitchen baker Sarah Fox has proved they can be upgraded with a rhubarb glaze.
MOMO Kombucha
Drink your rhubarb as well as eat it with this sweet and tart limited-edition flavour from MOMO Kombucha, made with forced rhubarb from Robert Tomlinson, who grows and harvests his rhubarb in Yorkshire’s Rhubarb Triangle.
Hideaway
Mayfair cafe Hideaway is celebrating all things rhubarb for a month with a series of limited-edition pastries and drinks, including a Yorkshire rhubarb, lavender & custard croissant, a rhubarb Jammie Dodger and a barley yoghurt pot with Yorkshire rhubarb & cornflower.
