Nigel Slater’s midweek treat: rhubarb frangipane croissants

Makes 4. Ready in 35 minutes.

Crisp, buttery pastry, soft almond frangipane and tart rhubarb: a combination that’s at its best when paired with large, crisp croissants.

Make the frangipane by beating together 80g each of butter and caster sugar until creamy. It’s best to do this with a food mixer. Keep going until you have a light and creamy mixture.

Break a large egg into a small bowl, beat it lightly with a fork, then add this to the butter-and-sugar mixture, beating all the while. After a minute or so, add a few drops of vanilla extract.

Stir in 80g of ground almonds, a generous pinch of fine sea salt and 50g of sifted plain flour.

Preheat the oven to 180C/gas mark 4.

Cut 150g of rhubarb (approximately 2 short sticks) into matchstick-size strips. Put 3 tbsp of caster sugar into a shallow bowl, then toss the rhubarb pieces in it, turning them over to coat evenly with the sugar.

Place a shallow pan over a moderate to high heat, then add the sugared rhubarb and let it cook for 6-7 minutes, until the rhubarb has softened and the sugar has melted down into a pink syrup.

Slice 4 large and flaky croissants in half horizontally. Place the bases, cut-side up, on a baking sheet. If there is any doughy middle, tear it out carefully and discard it.

Fill each hollow croissant shell with a quarter of the frangipane mixture, then divide the rhubarb between each one. Tuck the reserved tops in between them on the tray.

Place the tray in the preheated oven and bake for 20-25 minutes, until the frangipane is lightly firm and the croissants are very crisp.

Place the tops on to each filled croissant. A fall of sifted icing sugar on top of each is rather lovely.