This refreshing and light “pretty in pink” spring dessert, featuring early hothouse rhubarb, is the perfect ending to dinner.
You can find prepared meringues in some grocery stores, saving you the time of making them yourself.
And with this recipe, you’ll be ready to take advantage of the early spring rhubarb that will be appearing in gardens in our area — the first harvest that we get here.
Rhubarb Meringue Trifles
1.5 l (6 cups) chopped 2.5 cm (1-inch) rhubarb, about 750 g (1 1/2 lb)
175 ml (3/4 cup) granulated sugar
50 ml (1/4 cup) all-purpose flour
Grated rind of 1 lemon
6 prepared meringue nests
375 ml (1 1/2 cups) vanilla yogurt
Mint leaves (optional)
In a 33-by-23-cm (13-by-9-inch) glass baking dish, stir together rhubarb, sugar and flour. Cover with foil and bake in a 180 C (350 F) oven for 30 minutes or until rhubarb is tender and still holds its shape, stirring halfway through. Stir in lemon rind. Let cool on rack. Cover and refrigerate for 2 hours or until chilled or for up to 2 days.
Break meringue nests into bite-size pieces. In six 300- to 375-ml (10- to 12-oz) glasses, layer in yogurt, rhubarb filling and meringue pieces. Repeat layers once. Garnish with mint, if desired. Serve or cover and refrigerate for up to 1 hour.
Makes 6 servings.
Nutritional information per serving: 250 calories, 5 g protein, 2 g fat, 55 g carbohydrates, 2 g fibre.
Notes: For a sweeter sauce, taste rhubarb filling and add sugar, 15 ml (1 tbsp) at a time. Meringue nests are available at most large supermarkets in 125-g packages. For optimum flavour, select yogurt with 2 per cent or M.F. or higher.
Source: Foodland Ontario.