Rhubarb Recipes

A recent Taste of Home magazine featured a rhubarb recipe contest. That put the bug in me (I love rhubarb), and so I began my hunt to find rhubarb down South. (Quite a challenge, I might add.) Here are the two recipes I tried. They were the winners of the contest, and they were winners at my house. Mom suggested I should share them here. You Bixby girls up North probably have a little more ready access to rhubarb. (Jennie, I still have fond memories of your delicious Rhubarb–Meringue Torte that you made for the church picnic when we were visiting a couple of years ago.) The rhubarb flavor in both of these is quite mild, so I think they please even those who aren't rhubarb fans. So here they are:

RHUBARB SWIRL CHEESECAKE
2 ½ c. thinly sliced fresh or frozen rhubarb
1/3 c. plus ½ cup sugar, divided
2 tablespoons orange juice
1 ¼ c. graham cracker crumbs
¼ c. butter, melted
3 pkgs. (8-oz. each) cream cheese, softened
2 c. (16 oz.) sour cream
1 T. cornstarch
2 t. vanilla extract
½ t. salt
3 eggs, lightly beaten
8 squares (1-ounce each) white baking chocolate, melted

In a large saucepan, bring rhubarb, 1/3 c. sugar and orange juice to a boil. Reduce heat; cook and stir until thickened and rhubarb is tender. Set aside.

In a bowl, combine cracker crubs and butter. Press onto the bottom of a greased 9” springform pan. Place on a baking sheet. Bake at 350 for 7-9 minutes or until lightly browned. Cool on a wire rack.

In a large mixing bowl, beat cream cheese, sour cream, cornstarch, vanilla, salt and remaining sugar until smooth. Add eggs; beat just until combined. Fold in white chocolatge. Pour half of the filling into crust. Top with half of the rhubarb sauce; cut through batter with a knife to gently swirl rhubarb. Layer with remaining filling and rhubarb sauce; cut through top layers with a knife to gently swirl rhubafrb.

Place pan on a double thickness of heavy-duty foil (about 16 in. square). Securely wrap foil around pan. Place in a large baking pan; add 1 in. of hot water to larger pan. Bake at 350 for 60-70 minutes or until center is almost set. Cool on a wire rack for 10 minutes. Carefully run a knife around edge of pan to loiosen; cool 1 hour longer. Cover and chil overnight. Remove sides of pan. Refrigerate leftovers. Yield: 12-14 servings.

RHUBARB UPSIDE-DOWN CAKE
¾ c. packed brown sugar
¼ c. butter, melted
3 c. diced fresh or frozen rhubarb
2 T. sugar

Batter:
½ c. butter, softened
1 c. sugar
2 eggs, separated
1 t. vanilla extract
1 ½ c. all-purpose flour
2 t. baking powder
½ t. salt
½ c. milk
¼ t. cream of tartar
Whipped cream, optional

In a small bowl, combine brown sugar and butter. Spread into a greased 9-in. round baking pan. Layer with rhubarb; sprinkle with sugar. Set aside.

In a large mixing bowl, cream the butter and sugar. Beat in egg yolks and vanilla. Combine flour, baking powder and salt; add to creamed mixture alternately with milk. In a small mixing bowl, beat egg whites and cream of tartar on medium speed until stiff peaks form. Gradually fold into creamed mixture, about ½ c. at a time. Gently spoon over rhubarb.

Bake at 325 for 40-45 minutes or until cake springs back when lightly touched. Cool for 10 minutes before inverting onto a serving plate. Serve warm with whipped cream if desired. Yield: 10-12 servings.