Description
These oatmeal rhubarb bars feature a buttery cinnamon-oat crust and crumble with a tart rhubarb center—perfectly sweet, chewy, and ideal for spring baking.
Ingredients
For the pudding:
2 cups stale bread or brioche, cut into 1″ cubes
1 stalk fresh rhubarb (or 2 small stalks), cut into 1″ pieces
1 tbsp melted butter
1½ cups milk
½ cup heavy cream
1 egg
1 tbsp granulated sugar
¼ tsp ground nutmeg
2 tbsp rhubarb compote (see note)
For the orange custard (serving):
Homemade or store-bought custard
½ tsp fresh orange zest
Instructions
Prepare rhubarb: Roast or bake rhubarb at 400°F until soft. Sweeten a portion with sugar and lemon juice to make a compote.
Assemble pudding: Toss bread cubes with melted butter and place in a greased baking dish. Layer in roasted rhubarb and spoon compote on top.
Mix custard base: Whisk milk, cream, egg, sugar, and nutmeg. Pour over bread and let soak 20+ minutes.
Bake: Preheat oven to 350°F. Bake for 30 minutes until puffed and golden, and center is set.
Make orange custard: Warm custard and stir in orange zest.
Serve: Spoon warm pudding onto plates and drizzle with orange custard.
Notes
Use frozen rhubarb if needed—thaw and drain well first.
Make compote by cooking rhubarb with sugar and lemon juice until jammy.
Let pudding soak longer for deeper flavor.
Stir in dried fruit or nuts for added texture.
- Prep Time: 20 minutes (+ soaking)
- Cook Time: 30 minutes
- Category: Dessert
- Method: Baking
- Cuisine: Dessert
