April - Poached Rhubarb with Almond Granola & Greek Yoghurt
Makes 6-8 portions
April marks the arrival of the first tender stems of rhubarb, with their vibrant pink hue and tart bite — a sure sign of spring. This recipe celebrates rhubarb at its best, gently poached with ginger for a fragrant, soft compote. Paired with crunchy almond granola and thick Greek yoghurt, it’s a stunning breakfast, brunch or light pudding that highlights the season’s freshest flavours.
Ingredients
For the poached rhubarb
1 kg rhubarb, trimmed and cut into 4–5 cm pieces
150 g caster sugar
1 thumb-sized piece fresh ginger, peeled and sliced (or 1–2 pieces stem ginger from a jar, chopped)
For the almond granola (one batch)
4 tbsp honey or maple syrup
6 tbsp melted coconut oil or olive oil, plus extra for greasing tray
2 tsp ground cinnamon (more for stronger flavour)
1 tsp ground ginger
2 tsp vanilla extract
Zest of 2 oranges
140 g ground almonds or ground mixed nuts
100 g oats
50 g dried cranberries
50 g dried apricots, chopped
50 g pumpkin or sunflower seeds
75 g flaked almonds
Pinch of salt
To serve
Thick and creamy Greek yoghurt
Method
1. Poach the rhubarb
Preheat the oven to 160°C fan / 180°C conventional.
Place the rhubarb pieces in a shallow baking dish or ovenproof tray in a single layer. Sprinkle with the caster sugar and scatter over the ginger slices.
Cover the dish tightly with foil and bake for 15–20 minutes, or until the rhubarb is just tender but still holds its shape. (Check after 15 minutes — rhubarb can overcook quickly.)
Allow to cool in its syrup; the juices will thicken slightly as it cools. Remove the ginger slices before serving if desired.
(Alternatively, poach on the hob: place rhubarb, sugar and ginger in a wide pan with 2–3 tbsp water. Cover and cook gently over a low heat for 10 minutes until just tender.)
2. Make the almond granola
Keep the oven at 180°C (160°C fan). Lightly oil a large baking tray.
In a large bowl, whisk together melted coconut oil and honey/maple syrup, then stir in the spices, vanilla and orange zest.
Add all the remaining ingredients and stir well to coat. Spread evenly over the prepared tray.
Bake for 6 minutes, remove and stir to break up clumps, then bake a further 6 minutes until lightly golden and fragrant.
Remove from the oven and allow to cool completely; it will crisp up as it cools.
3. Serve
Spoon the poached rhubarb and its syrup into bowls, top with a generous dollop of Greek yoghurt, and sprinkle over a handful of almond granola.
Finish with extra orange zest or a drizzle of honey if desired.
Tips & Notes
Seasonality: Early spring rhubarb is naturally tart; adjust sugar to taste depending on how sweet your rhubarb is.
Batch ahead: Both the poached rhubarb and granola can be made a day or two in advance and stored in the fridge (rhubarb) or an airtight jar (granola).
Serving idea: This also works beautifully layered in glasses as a make-ahead breakfast parfait or dessert.
