Rhubarb, pecan and buttermilk pudding with buttermilk ice-cream, by Madalene Bonvini-Hamel

(Serves 12)

For the Rhubarb, pecan and Buttermilk Pudding

INGREDIENTS 225g unsalted butter, room temperature
300g light brown sugar
Seeds of one vanilla pod
3 egg yolks
3 whole eggs
270ml buttermilk
300g self-raising flour
1tsp bicarbonate of soda
Pinch of salt
1tsp ground ginger
150g pecan nuts, roughly chopped
400g fresh rhubarb

METHOD Pre-heat the oven to 160°C and grease 12 x 8cm in diameter rubber muffin moulds.

Cream the butter, vanilla and sugar until pale and fluffy, add the eggs one at a time and mix well after each addition. Stir in the buttermilk.

Sift the flour, bicarbonate of soda, ground ginger, salt and baking powder over the creamed butter mix, and fold in using a large metal spoon.

Wash and cut the rhubarb into slices, and mix with the pecan nuts. Spoon a bit of the batter into the moulds followed by a few bits of the rhubarb pecans and fill the mould with more batter, divide the remaining rhubarb pecans between the moulds and place them on top.

Bake the puddings for 25-30 minutes in the preheated oven. Let them cool before removing from the moulds. Serve warm with the buttermilk ice-cream.

For the Buttermilk Ice-Cream

INGREDIENTS
700ml buttermilk
120g caster sugar
200ml whipping cream
25ml fresh lemon juice

METHOD
Mix all the ingredients, refrigerate and rest for 1 hour. Churn the ice-cream, keep frozen until needed.