This year’s spring equinox whizzed by with barely a murmur. The season was announced by the return of a gentle warmth, blue skies, soft breezes and scudding clouds and, still to come, the Easter weekend – a date that marks the last clutches of winter’s grip.

When I was young, Easter transformed me into a maniacal chocolate guzzler in the morning, after which I’d spend the day avoiding my grandmother’s piercing gaze as I spied on my sister and her amazingly intact stash of Easter goodies, a sort of outrage growing. Alas, like Augustus Gloop tumbled into the chocolate river in Willy Wonka’s chocolate factory, I was shown the door.

However, loving chocolate as I do, I have always preferred almonds. And the real deal at Easter for me was an impeccable simnel cake baked full of Mum’s delicious marzipan. The family descending for Easter required almost military manoeuvres in the kitchen, sideboards and stomachs groaning. Feeding the crew was like stoking the engines for the Flying Scotsman.

Nowadays, I can’t help feeling Easter ought to be a simpler affair, and I am drawn towards the fine thought of one tremendous pudding in particular – a great almond meringue heaped with rhubarb and custard. This pudding gives a pleasing nod to Easter traditions, mainly eggs – the whites for a meringue, the yolks for custard – and almonds, reminiscent of that marzipan I loved.

The great harvest of Yorkshire rhubarb, which enjoys rare protected status in Britain, is the most beautiful pink still now, and well worth seeking out. Using whole almonds (Spanish marcona are great) improves the flavour mightily as well as giving it bite. A nutty meringue is something of a must for me. A dacquoise to be precise, for it is indeed French in origin. Heaped large upon a great plate, it has celebration and party writ large upon it and will gather much applause and mirth.

Even better, every part of this recipe can be made in advance requiring only a pleasing assembly when needed at table to take its bow in the hands of a smiling cook.

Almond meringue with rhubarb and custard

Serves 12-14
For the meringue
9 egg whites
500g caster sugar, split between two bowls
120g whole almonds, coarsely chopped

For the rhubarb
12 rhubarb stems
1 lemon
1 orange
1 vanilla pod
4 tbsp golden caster sugar

For the custard
30g flour
30g cornflour
9 egg yolks
120g golden caster sugar
1 vanilla pod
750ml whole milk

To finish
500ml double cream
50g almonds, coarsely chopped and roasted until golden

1 Preheat the oven to 130C/265F/gas low. Line two large baking sheets with parchment. Scrupulously clean and dry a mixing bowl. Beat the egg whites until stiff peaks form and add the first bowl of sugar in a steady shower. Beat furiously, allowing no distractions, until peaks form once more. The best test is to tip the bowl upside down but that might be somewhat cavalier. Add in the chopped almonds and the remaining sugar and fold in with care.

2 Divide the meringue between the two baking sheets and form two roughly shaped discs. Whirls and swirls are most welcome. Pop them in the oven. Reduce the temperature to 100C/212F and bake for 1 hour, keeping an eye out for any misbehaviour. The resulting cakes should be a pale golden colour and a delicate crisp shell. Remove them and set aside to cool.

3 To cook the rhubarb, preheat the oven to 170C/335F/gas mark 3½. Trim and wash the rhubarb. Cut into 1cm long pieces, and lay in a wide baking sheet in one layer. Peel the lemon and the orange to achieve strips that can be laid in among the rhubarb. Split and scrape the vanilla pod. Juice the orange and lemon, stir in the vanilla, then spoon this over the rhubarb. Seal with tinfoil and bake in the oven for 25 minutes or so. Lift a corner of the tinfoil with care to see if the rhubarb is tender. If so, remove and let the rhubarb cool. It is best left undisturbed, retaining its form, until needed.

4 To make the confectioner’s custard, sift the flours into a small bowl, and put the egg yolks and sugar in another, then beat wildly until lightened and pale. Split the vanilla pod and put in a heavy bottomed pan with the milk. Put this on a gentle heat and stir regularly as it comes to the boil. Reduce the speed of the beater and gently stir in the flours. Now pour in the infused milk in a steady stream. Mix well and add to the pan.

5 Whisk this thoroughly until thickened then beat for a further minute to ensure the flour is cooked. Decant this mixture to a bowl. Cover with clingfilm, spiked a few times to allow the steam to escape. Cool and refrigerate.

6 To assemble, choose a splendid, appropriately sized dish or plate for the meringue. Whisk the double cream until soft peaks form. Remove the cover from the confectioner’s custard. Add a quarter of the cream to the custard, and then fold in the rest of the cream to form a creme chibouste. Put a spoonful of this creme on the plate to anchor the first disc of meringue, worrying not in the least should fissures and cracks appear. Heap on half the creme, spreading it only lightly over the meringue. Spoon on half the rhubarb. Lay on another spoonful of creme chibouste then lay on the second meringue. Pour on the remaining creme then follow with the remaining rhubarb. Strew over the chopped almonds and the job is done.

• Jeremy Lee is the chef-proprietor of Quo Vadis restaurant in London @jeremyleeqv