Magnolia flower’s strongly gingery, cardamom flavour lends itself beautifully to a lighter, kheer-style rice pudding with rhubarb. Kheer is an Indian milk pudding often flavoured with cardamom, ginger, rose, saffron or dried fruit and made with basmati instead of pudding rice. This is the perfect make-ahead dessert for a springtime dinner. The flavour of magnolia petals varies, so do check how strong yours are – a little bitterness is fine, as it will be balanced out with the other ingredients.

Serves 6

1 litre (1¾ pints) whole (full-cream) milk
50 large, fresh magnolia petals, roughly chopped
100 g (3½ oz) basmati rice
75 g (2¾ oz) caster (superfine) sugar
250 ml (8½ fl. oz) double (heavy) cream, softly whipped
salt
2 tsp dark brown sugar, to serve

For the rhubarb compote:

150 g (5½ oz) sugar
400 g (14 oz) rhubarb*
10 large magnolia petals, sliced into thin strips

1. Put the milk and magnolia petals in a large pan and slowly bring to a simmer over a medium-low heat. Remove from the heat and leave to steep for at least half an hour or up to 2 hours.

2. Meanwhile, make the rhubarb compote. Pour 225 ml (7 fl. Oz) boiling water over the sugar in a heatproof jug (pitcher) or bowl and stir to dissolve. Leave to cool.

3. Trim the rhubarb and cut into 3–4 cm (1½ in) lengths. If some stems are very thick, cut them a little shorter, to ensure all the pieces cook evenly. Put them in the pan, ideally in one layer, but don’t worry too much if a few bits are doubled up. They will shrink as they cook, and will be in a single layer by the end. Add the sliced magnolia petals on top and pour over the cooled syrup – it should come most of the way up the rhubarb.

4. Bring the pan to a simmer with the lid on. Keep an eye on it, and when it starts to simmer, cook for just 1 minute more, then remove from the heat. Keep the lid on so that the rhubarb finishes cooking in the residual heat.

5. Rinse the rice in a sieve (strainer) under cold running water until the water runs clear. Put it in a bowl, cover with cold water and leave to soak for 30 minutes.

6. Once the milk has infused, strain through a fine sieve or clean piece of muslin (cheesecloth) to remove the magnolia petals. Return the milk to the clean pan, bring to a simmer and add the rice.

7. Simmer for about 25 minutes, stirring frequently. You will need to stir more as it thickens. Towards the end of the cooking time, add the caster sugar and a pinch of salt and stir to dissolve. Cook for a few minutes more, until the pudding reaches the consistency of a loose porridge (oatmeal) and when most of the milk has been absorbed, then remove from the heat. Leave to cool a little; it will thicken more as it does so.

8. Divide the cooked rhubarb between 6 serving glasses, but don’t add much of the poaching liquid. Carefully dollop the rice pudding on top of the rhubarb, then refrigerate for a couple of hours. Just before serving, spoon the cream on top and sprinkle with a little brown sugar. 

*Forced rhubarb is perfect for this dish because it adds a gorgeous pink colour. If you use regular rhubarb, add a couple of dried hibiscus flowers when cooking to enhance the colour.

TIP: After removing the rhubarb from the poaching liquid, strain the liquid and store in a bottle in the fridge. Add it to drinks, drizzle it over ice cream or porridge (oatmeal), or use it to poach more rhubarb.

All photos Sharon Cosgrove Photography