Rhubarb Custard Kuchen - One Homely House (2024)

March 18, 2021

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At the first signs of spring, I want to fill my kitchen with fresh flavors and colors. This pretty pink dessert will grace any springtime spread, from elegant brunches to simple suppers. The tart flavor of rhubarb marries surprisingly well with a sweet custard filling inside a delicate crust. It’s dainty enough for tea parties, yet simple enough for busy weekdays.

Even better, it’s quick to prepare: you can make the crust and filling in the time it takes to heat your oven! (Well, admittedly, my oven takes longer than most to preheat. Give yourself about 20 minutes.)

Last but not least among its virtues, this rhubarb custard kuchen is always a favorite treat–even among those who profess to dislike rhubarb! If you have such a one in your family, I suggest you serve him this dessert, and see if he doesn’t change his mind about rhubarb!

What is a kuchen?

“Kuchen” is a German word for cake. Usually, it means a cake that is served with coffee. There are several different types of German cakes that fit this definition, but one common type is the custard kuchen. Custard kuchens can be more cake-like or more pie-like depending on how thick the crust is. They usually have a creamy, custardy layer with fruit on top, and a thick or thin crust on the bottom.

Many traditional recipes contain little sugar; they are mostly sweetened by the fruit they contain. This recipe, you will note, has a fair amount of sugar! That is needed to balance out the tartness of the rhubarb. (You could probably decrease the sugar a little with no ill results, if you think this looks like too much. I would rather rest assured that my family will eat it!) This particular recipe is an old family recipe. I adapted it slightly from a recipe handwritten by my great-grandmother.

Method

Prepare the crust

Preheat your oven to 350 degrees F.

For the crust, combine the flour, sugar, and salt in a medium size mixing bowl. Cut the cold butter into small pieces, then cut it into the flour mixture until crumbly. You may use a pastry blender, a fork, or the tips of your fingers to work the butter into the flour. It should be thoroughly incorporated, so that you can’t see any chunks of butter larger than a small pea. I find it helpful to finish mixing with my fingers, even if I start with a pastry blender. This allows me to feel the mixture and make sure there are no big pieces of butter hiding!

Pour the crust mixture into a 7×11-inch baking pan with sides at least one inch high. If you don’t have this size of pan, you can also use a 13×9-inch baking pan.

NOTE: if you use a larger pan, make sure to read through the recipe first and note the adjustments you will need to make!

Press the crust mixture into the bottom of the pan and about one inch up the sides. You will note that the crust is very crumbly and delicate. That’s fine; it can be spread very thinly. Just make sure there aren’t any holes in it.

If you are using a 13×9-inch pan, you will not need to press the crust mixture very high up the sides. (Nor will you be able to!) Make sure the bottom of the pan is covered with crust, then press it as far up the sides as you can. One-half inch is fine.

Set the pan aside carefully. Try not to jar it, as the crust mixture will shift easily. If this happens, just use your fingertips to spread it back as evenly as you can.

Adding the rhubarb

You may use fresh or frozen rhubarb for this recipe. If you choose to use frozen rhubarb, don’t thaw it before preparing the kuchen, or you will end up with a mushy mess! The rhubarb should be chopped into 1/2-inch thick slices. You may use green or red rhubarb; but red is, of course, much prettier!

The amount of rhubarb you need will depend on the size of pan you use. As a guideline, it should be about 2-3 cups. You may need a bit more if you are using a 13×9-inch pan. Or if you like rhubarb a lot!

Carefully spread the chopped rhubarb in a single layer on top of the crust mixture. Use as much as you need to cover the crust.

Making the custard

The last step is preparing the custard filling. In a medium size mixing bowl, beat 3 eggs with a fork. Stir in the sugar, light cream, and a dash of salt. If you can’t find light cream, use half & half. Or mix heavy cream with milk. In a pinch, you can even use whole milk. It won’t affect the consistency.

Stir the custard mixture until it is well combined. Then pour it evenly over the rhubarb in the pan. Bake the kuchen for 45-50 minutes if using a 13×9-inch pan, or for 50-60 minutes if using an 11×7-inch pan. The center should be set and the edges slightly browned.

Set the pan on a wire rack to cool. Chill at least 2 hours before serving. You may dust the kuchen with confectioner’s sugar just before serving, if you wish.

This rhubarb custard kuchen will keep in the refrigerator for 4-5 days, but ours never lasts that long!