Charlotte Rhubarb-Strawberry

Ingredients:

450g rhubarb, chopped into small pieces
225g strawberries, chopped into small pieces
120g caster sugar
6 slices of white bread, crusts removed
2 tablespoons of unsalted butter

Instructions:

Preheat the oven to 180°C (160°C fan)/350°F/gas mark 4.
Place the rhubarb, strawberries and sugar in a pan and gently cook for 10-15 minutes until the fruit is soft, stirring occasionally.
Butter each slice of bread and cut each slice in half diagonally to create triangles.
Arrange the triangles of bread around the edge of a 20cm (8in) cake tin, overlapping each triangle slightly and butter side down, so that they form a wall around the edge of the tin.
Spoon the cooked fruit into the centre of the dish, pressing down gently with the back of a spoon until it is packed in tightly.
Cover the fruit with the remaining bread triangles, butter side up, making sure they are packed in tightly.
Bake in the preheated oven for 40-45 minutes until golden brown and crisp on top.
Remove from the oven and leave to cool for a few minutes before removing from the tin.
Place a serving plate over the top of the tin and then invert the tin so that the charlotte drops out onto the plate.
Serve immediately with cream or ice cream.

Verdict:

This is a delicious dessert that is perfect for a summer evening. The combination of rhubarb and strawberries is a classic, and the charlotte is a lovely way to showcase these flavours. The recipe is also very easy to make and is a great way to use up any leftover bread.