Strawberries. Rhubarb. What could be a more fitting combination for the springtime? Not normally eaten on its own due to its intense tartness, rhubarb when combined with the sweetness of strawberries is a match made in heaven. This glorious flavor pairing is wonderful in a variety of desserts such as pies, cakes, jams and much more. As if we couldn’t find any more excuses to indulge ourselves this spring, we’re going beyond the classic, old-fashioned Strawberry Rhubarb Pie and bring you its much more relaxed, low maintenance cousin–the Strawberry Rhubarb Crumble! A crumble is similar to a pie with its crisp, crumbly top crust made from brown sugar, oats and butter but lacks a pie shell crust on the bottom. Sweet, warm and bubbly, this fabulous dessert couldn’t be a better way to celebrate the iconic union of strawberries and rhubarb.
Just like the fava beans we talked about in our last blog post, Rhubarb is another springtime favorite. Although generally eaten as a fruit, it’s actually a vegetable. With its rich tart flavor, rhubarb is not usually eaten raw and is used with only its stalks, which resemble crisp, crunchy celery. When combined with other sweet fruits such as strawberries and cooked with plenty of sugar, rhubarb becomes quite an appetizing treat. The texture holds up well during the cooking process and can also be added diced to muffins and cakes or used in sauces to flavor meat, poultry and fish. Highly perishable, rhubarb can be stored for up to 5 days or stored in the freezer if you’d like to enjoy this seasonal vegetable come wintertime.
Strawberry Rhubarb Crumble
Yields: 6 servings
Ingredients
- 4 cups of rhubarb, about 4 stalks, diced
- 4 cups of fresh strawberries, hulled and halved
- 1/ teaspoon of vanilla extract
- 1 and 1/4 cup of light granulated sugar
- 1 cup of all-purpose flour
- 1 cup of quick-cooking rolled oats
- 1/2 cup of light brown sugar
- 1/2 cup of lemon juice, freshly squeezed
- 12 tablespoons of cold unsalted butter, diced
- 1 tablespoon of cornstarch
- 1 and 1/2 teaspoons of grated orange zest
- 1/2 teaspoon of salt
1. In a large bowl, combine the rhubarb, strawberries, orange zest and 3/4 cup of granulated sugar.
2. In a separate cup, mix together the lemon juice and corn starch until it dissolves. Then, add this mixture to the bowl of fruit.
3. Using an electric mixer, mix together the flour, 1/2 cup of granulated sugar, brown sugar, vanilla extract, salt and oats. Add the butter and mix on a low-speed setting until the mixture is soft and crumbly.
4. Preheat the oven to 375 degrees. In small ramekins, pour in the fruit mixture about halfway full. Sprinkle in the oat topping and spread out evenly over the top.
5. Bake for about 45 minutes until the top is crisp and the fruit is bubbling through. Remove from the heat and allow to cool for at least 15 minutes before serving.
Have you ever tried strawberries and rhubarb together? What are some other springtime desserts you like to enjoy?