Rhubarb shortbread and ginger cream

An attractive and delicious sweet treat, layering creamy yoghurt and fragrant rhubarb compote on crisp, buttery shortbread, making the most of the rhubarb season.

30 minutes prep. time
25–35 minutes cooking time
Serves 6
Cakes, bakes & desserts, Vegetarian

Looking down on shortbread biscuits topped with rhubarb compote and mixed yogurt and cream, drizzled with red wine syrup. A cupful of cream and yogurt is to the right, and shortbread biscuits cool on a rack to the back. — Fragrant rhubarb compote with ginger and creamy yogurt tops off shortbread | © National Trust/Nassima Rothacker

For the shortbread

100g plain flour
50g cornflour
50g caster sugar
100g butter

For the rhubarb compote

70ml red wine
70g caster sugar
¾ tsp ground ginger
340g rhubarb, trimmed and cut into 4cm lengths

For the topping

300ml double cream
150g natural yoghurt

Step 1

Preheat the oven to 160°C (145°C fan/gas mark 3). Add the flour, cornflour, sugar and butter to a bowl and rub in with fingertips or a mixer until it forms fine crumbs. Continue to mix and squeeze the crumbs together to make a ball, then lightly knead.

Step 2

Roll the dough out thinly. Try placing two boards on either side of the rolling pin to ensure an even thickness. Trim to a rectangle measuring 30cm x 10cm. Cut into six rectangles, each measuring 7.5cm x 5cm.

Step 3

Transfer the shortbread to a baking sheet, prick each biscuit with a fork and bake for 20–25 minutes until straw-coloured and firm. Neaten the edges with a serrated knife if needed, then leave to cool.

Step 4

To make the compote, add the red wine, 70ml water, sugar and ginger to a small frying pan and bring to the boil, stirring until the sugar has dissolved.

Step 5

Add the rhubarb, cook for 1 minute, then turn off the heat and leave to continue cooking in the liquid until the rhubarb is just softened but holding its shape.

Step 6

Place a sieve over a bowl, tip the rhubarb mix into the sieve. Pour the juices from the bowl back into the frying pan and reduce until thickened and syrupy, and you have about 6 tablespoons.

Step 7

Whip the cream in a second bowl until it forms firm peaks, then fold in the yoghurt. Transfer the shortbread biscuits to individual serving plates and stick to the plates with a small dot of cream.

Step 8

Pipe or spoon two layers of the cream over the biscuits. Arrange the rhubarb pieces side by side on the top, then drizzle with a little of the wine syrup and serve.