Rhubarb - that sweet and sour spring miracle. I love the first rhubarb cuttings of the season; a vibrant pink and a little bit sweeter than the older rhubarb which tends to be thicker and greener.

Here is a great little recipe that I do with rhubarb that is dead simple and easy to personalize.

Stewed Rhubarb

For this I cut the rhubarb up into 1/2 inch pieces and put it in a pot with sugar and lemon zest. This part of the recipe depends on your own personal preference for "sweetness". I generally like my rhubarb on the sour side, so I add very little sugar to my own stewed rhubarb. My rule is 1 C. chopped rhubarb to 1/4 C. sugar (white or brown) and the zest of 1 lemon.

Pastry Cream

1 C. milk
1/2 C. sugar
2 Tbsp. cornstarch
2 egg yolks
1/2 vanilla bean

Mix all the ingredients together in a saucepan and cook over low heat while stirring. Cook for 3-5 minutes until mixture thickens and can cover the back of a spoon. Set aside and let cool.

Brioche

Cube up 1/2 a loaf of your favorite brioche and soak in maple syrup (this again depends on whether or not you have a sweet tooth).

Assembly

Layer the ingredients in your favorite dish or glass. This recipe typically makes 4-6 servings.