This week is Potter Week at Pumpercake! Harry Potter inspired recipes will be published all week as we count down the days before the final movie is released into theaters!
Some of Harry’s happiest memories are those he has of time spent with his beloved Godfather, Sirius Black. Sirius and Harry had a couple very memorable conversations during the tail-end of a meeting with the Order of the Phoenix, some of which took place during dinner. Mrs. Weasley served up an extravagant feast for this particular occasion, and ended the meal with an impressive “rhubarb crumble and custard” that Harry thoroughly enjoyed. This is my version of Harry’s favorite chef’s dessert.
I went with crimson-cherry rhubarb, twice baked, infused with orange flavors and a hint of cardamom. I knew I needed to incorporate some sort of Sherbet Lemon element in one of the recipes for Potter Week. Sherbet Lemon, of course, being “a kind of Muggle sweet” that Albus Dumbledore is “rather fond of.” The custard that Mrs. Weasley serves alongside her crumble was the perfect opportunity for me to include Albus’s favorite flavors.
“Three helpings of rhubarb crumble and custard later and the waistband on Harry’s jeans was feeling uncomfortably tight (which was saying something, as the jeans had once been Dudley’s).”
–Harry Potter and the Order of the Phoenix
Rhubarb Crumble
with “Sherbet Lemon”
Custard Sauce
Inspired by: Molly Weasley’s
“Rhubarb Crumble & Custard,” and Professor Dumbledore’s favorite
“Sherbet Lemon”
Adapted from Dinah Bucholz’s
“Rhubarb Crumble with Custard Sauce,”
The Unofficial Harry Potter Cookbook
Rhubarb Crumble
1½ pound crimson red rhubarb
1/3 cup granulated sugar
½ teaspoon orange extract
¼ teaspoon vanilla extract
¼ teaspoon cardamom
1 teaspoon baking soda
½ tablespoon cornstarch
2 tablespoons all purpose flour
zest from ½ an orange
Preheat oven to 350 degrees and line a sheet pan with foil. Slice rhubarb into ½-inch pieces and toss together with granulated sugar, orange and vanilla extracts, cardamom, baking soda, and ¼ tablespoon of the cornstarch. Spread rhubarb mixture onto lined sheet tray and bake for about 10 minutes to help soften and caramelize rhubarb. Once removed from the oven, toss the mixture to cool it slightly. Sift onto the rhubarb mixture the remaining cornstarch and the flour and mix, stirring in the orange zest as well. Pour in an even layer into a 1-quart casserole dish and set aside while preparing crumble topping.
Crumble Topping
½ cup all-purpose flour ½ teaspoon salt
¾ cup steel cut oats ½ teaspoon ground cinnamon
1/3 cup almond flour 6 tablespoons unsalted butter
¾ cup brown sugar
Mix together in a food processor all ingredients, except for the butter, until thoroughly combined. Cut the cold butter into a small dice and add the pieces into the food processor with the dry crumble mixture. Pulse until butter has incorporated and the texture of the mixture resembles clumpy, wet sand. Sprinkle the crumb mixture into the dish in an even layer on top of the rhubarb. Place in 350 degree oven for 40-50 minutes or until rhubarb is bubbly and topping is golden.
“Sherbet Lemon” Custard Sauce
3 egg yolks
¼ cup granulated sugar
¼ teaspoon salt
2 tablespoons cornstarch
1 cup whole milk
¼ cup heavy whipping cream
zest from 1 lemon
½ teaspoon vanilla extract
juice from ½ a lemon
1 tablespoon sherbet powder
–recipe yield: about 1¼ cups custard sauce
In a small bowl, lightly break up egg yolks with a fork, then set bowl aside. In a heavy bottomed saucepan, combine sugar, salt, and cornstarch. Whisk in milk, cream and lemon zest until cornstarch has dissolved. Place over medium-high heat, constantly stirring, until thoroughly heated but not boiling. Reduce heat to low and, while whisking the egg yolks, slowly pour into the small bowl a couple tablespoons of the hot liquid to bring eggs gently up to temperature without cooking them. Once yolks have been heated, transfer the warm mixture into the saucepan and replace heat to medium-high. Constantly stirring, continue to heat until mixture is thick and bubbling. Remove from heat and pour mixture into a small bowl, allowing it to pass through a fine mesh sieve, discarding any solid pieces of egg. Stir the vanilla and the lemon juice into the hot custard until incorporated. Serve warm or chilled. If not serving immediately, cover the bowl with plastic wrap, allowing the plastic to sag into the bowl and cover the entire surface of the custard sauce so the sauce doesn’t develop a skin. Store covered custard sauce in refrigerator.
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