Rhubarb with mascarpone cream and brandy snaps

1lb rhubarb
4oz sugar
Water
Zest and juice of 1 orange
Bay leaf
1” cinnamon stick
1 tub mascarpone
1oz icing sugar

Brandy snaps
2oz plain flour
½ level tsp ground ginger
1 heaped tbsp golden syrup
2oz butter
Little grated lemon zest
1 tsp lemon juice

Wash rhubarb and cut into 2” lengths. Make a sugar syrup with water, orange juice, bay leaf, cinnamon stick and sugar. When sugar is dissolved, add the rhubarb and gently poach turning over once and keeping the shape. Lift the fruit out and reduce the liquor to a syrupy consistency and set aside.

To make the brandy snaps, sift the flour and ground ginger together. Put sugar, golden syrup and butter in saucepan. Stir over low heat to melt. Draw off heat and stir in the flour and ginger. Blend well and mix in the lemon juice. Oil a baking tray or use a silicone sheet and spoon on small teaspoonfuls. Bake at 190˚ for 8 – 10 minutes. Remove from the oven and as soon as the mixture starts to firm up slightly lift the snaps from the tray with a palette knife and wrap quickly around the handle of a wooden spoon. Slip off the handle and cool on a wire tray. Continue with the next batch until all the mixture is used up.

To make the mascarpone cream, stir the zest of the orange and 1oz icing sugar into the mascarpone.

Arrange the rhubarb on the plate; pour over some of the reduced syrup. Add some mascarpone cream and a brandy snap to finish.