Rhubarb Vanilla Cake

Ingredients

• 0.5 l milk
• 1 Vanilla bean
• 5 egg yolks
• 100 g sugar
• 30 g flour
• 1 pinch salt
• 250 g flour
• 125 g cold butter
• 60 g sugar
• 1 pinch salt
• 1 egg
• 500 g red rhubarb
• 100 g sugar
• powdered sugar (for dusting)

Instructions

1. 1.

   Slice the vanilla bean lengthwise, scrape out the seeds and stir them into the milk; bring to a boil.

2. 2.

   Whisk the egg yolks with sugar until creamy, then fold in the flour.

3. 3.

   Pour the boiling milk into the yolk mixture, return everything to the pot, remove the vanilla bean, and simmer over low heat while stirring constantly until it thickens slightly.

4. 4.

   Strain the vanilla custard through a sieve and let cool.

5. 5.

   Sift flour onto a work surface, mix with sugar and salt, then create a well in the center. Cut cold butter into small pieces and distribute around the well; add the egg to the center and cut all ingredients together with a knife until small dough crumbs form. Quickly knead by hand into a dough, shape into a ball, wrap in plastic wrap, and chill for about 30 minutes.

6. 6.

   Wash, trim, peel, and cut rhubarb diagonally into ~5 cm pieces. Boil with sugar and 1/8 l water once, then remove from heat and cool.

7. 7.

   Grease a springform pan. Roll out the dough on a floured surface slightly larger than the pan, line the pan, shape an edge, and let the dough hang 2–3 cm over the rim. Prick the base with a fork several times. Alternate layers of vanilla custard and rhubarb on the base, arranging rhubarb pieces star‑shaped, finish with more rhubarb, drizzle with rhubarb syrup, and fold excess dough inward.

8. 8.

   Bake in an oven at 180 °C (lower rack) for about 40 minutes; if the surface browns too quickly, cover with foil. Remove, let cool slightly, then release from the pan and allow to cool completely.

9. 9.

   Dust with powdered sugar before serving.