RHUBARB AND APPLE SHORTCAKE

I always remember my mother’s shortcake with its light and airy pastry and juicy, tart filling. I simple added some rhubarb to this classic and it married together perfectly.

Makes 12-16 squares

Pastry

2 cups flour

1 tsp baking powder

125g butter

¼ cup sugar, plus 1 Tbsp for sprinkling

1 egg, lightly beaten

1-2 Tbsp milk, extra for glazing

Filling

1 Tbsp butter

4 granny smith apples, peeled, cored, sliced

¼ cup sugar

1 Tbsp water

1 orange, juice and zest

6 sticks rhubarb, sliced into 1 cm pieces

Method

Begin by making the pastry – Add the dry ingredients into a large bowl, rub in the cold butter until coarse breadcrumbs appears.

Add the egg and mix through, if too dry add 1 tablespoon of milk at a time and mix until dough comes together. Do not over mix as this will toughen up your dough. Cover in plastic wrap and chill.

To make the filling add the apples, sugar, water, butter and orange juice and zest. Cook gently for 10 minutes, add the rhubarb and continue to cook until the apples and rhubarb are soft and pulpy. If you mixture is extra juicy drain it off as this will make your shortcake to wet.

Preheat oven to 180C fanbake or bake.

Line a 20x20 or so cake tin, I use a square fruit cake tin for mine.

Roll the pastry out so it will fit your tin twice in length and it should be about 1/2cm thick. Cut the pastry in half and line the base of the tin.

Spread evenly with the apple and rhubarb filling.

Place the other half of the pastry on top. Brush with milk and sprinkle remaining sugar on top.

Bake in preheated oven for 20-30 minutes or until the pastry is golden and firm.

Remove from the oven and allow to cool a little before cutting. This shortcake works beautifully warm or cold.