I hope you have been following along with the last two posts so that this one makes sense. To quickly recap if that is not the case, I made rhubarb lemonade syrup the other day and discovered that the “left over” puree was tasty and needed a better end than the garbage. I made a couple of popovers to have with tea yesterday and then finished off the rest of the pastry and filling by turning them into this Rhubarb Chiffon Flan.
Zesting and saving citrus fruit peel before juicing means there is something on hand to add another layer of flavour to your meals on another day. Turning what was originally thought of as left over into something like Lemon Rhubarb Turnovers and Rhubarb Chiffon Flan changes our relationship with the ingredients we are gifted by Mother Earth. The rhubarb/lemon mixture could just as easily have been used in muffins for lunchboxes or to flavour plain yoghurt. The choice is yours. My intention was to expand on “P is for protect Gaia’s bounty” from the My Kitchen Witch Alphabet post on Facebook, May 26th by making some suggestions for simple practical ways of applying the concept in the kitchen.
You will need:
Left over rhubarb/lemon mixture from making the syrup to which I had added 1/2 cup of sour cream
A small batch of pastry, just enough to make the bottom of the flan
1 cup whipping cream
1 package plain gelatin
If full instructions for pastry would be helpful click here.
A flan, according to Merriam-Webster is “an open pie containing any of various sweet or savory fillings”. I think of them as being thinner than a say a slice of apple pie and I have just the pan to use.
These styles of pans (like the one shown above) are helpful as the bottoms are separate pieces, making it possible to push up from the bottom once the shell is baked. That makes for an easy transfer to the serving plate.
Because this flan will be filled and put in the fridge to set, the shell needs pre-baking. Turn the oven on to 375 degrees for preheating.
You know me. Now is the time to bring your focus into the present moment in the best way you know how. Let go of the thoughts that do not serve you and focus on a willingness to be open to creativity. Welcome in the support of your compassionate spirits.
Roll out the dough until even and just under 1/4 inch thick. Transfer to the flan pan and gently fit the dough into the form. Push the dough into the fluting and corners without breaking the dough. Use the top flute edge as “scissors” by pushing any overhanging pastry dough down, cutting it off the flan. If there are any “boo-boos” they can be fixed with a little water and an extra piece of dough acting as a patch. Or it is possible to reroll the pastry if needed. Ultimately, the less the dough is worked the flakier the pastry will be.
Pricking the pastry dough with a fork will stop the pastry from bubbling up, creating an uneven surface.
Bake until golden brown about 15 minutes. Remove from the oven and cool.
The filling was made by adding one package of unflavoured gelatin to 1/4 cup of water and heating the gelatin until the powder dissolves, stirring as needed. (It is in the glass).
Whip the cream until soft peaks appear and then slowly add the gelatin by drizzling the liquid as the beating continues. Do not over beat or you will be the proud owner of butter instead.
Once the gelatine is mixed in and the whipping cream has firm peaks, remove about a quarter cup and set aside.
Add a portion of the rhubarb mixture to the whipped cream. Do not add all at once. The rhubarb mixture is thick and benefits from being mixed in, in stages. Fill the pie shell with the finished mixture.
Top with the sweetened whipped cream and allow to set in the fridge for several hours.
Light and tangy on a hot summer day!
Rhubarb Chiffon Flan from My Kitchen Wand
