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Rhubarb Cardamom Custard Pie

Posted in Dessert, tagged , , , , , , , on June 10, 2014| 11 Comments »

Rhubarb Cardamom Custard Pie | Relishing It

The last official day of school has arrived for my little ones, and I’m emotionally all over the place.  My first thought is that I cannot believe another year has slipped through my hands.  The daily hustle-and-bustle clouds how much time is passing, and suddenly the school year is over.  Aanen will be a second grader, while Aria will be a full-time kindergartender– no more half days with my little girl at home.  Ugh…  My second thought is a little less melancholy and a lot more pressing.  What on earth am I going to do to entertain these children all summer long?!  I have a few ideas circling in my head– and I’m sure we’ll have a wonderful time– but still the concern is there.  Swimming, biking, basketball, reading, exploring, and more kid-assisted baking, I’m sure.

Rhubarb Cardamom Custard Pie | Relishing It

Rhubarb Cardamom Custard Pie | Relishing It

Speaking of baking (how’s that for a transition?) the weather has been a bit cooler, so I made this pie especially for my hubby (you all remember his favorite Sour Cream Apple Pie, right?)  This pie is a variation of that masterpiece.  And though I made the pie for him, I did my fair share of helping him eat it.  I’m usually fairly disciplined when it comes to baked goods and I try not to over-indulge.  Apparently this pie was the breaking point and soon I was eating pie for breakfast, followed up with pie for a snack.  I’ll be sure to not make it again for a long time, as apparently I can’t say no to it.

Rhubarb Cardamom Custard Pie | Relishing It

Cardamom and rhubarb is one of my favorite fruit-and-spice combinations.  If you haven’t tried it, do so.  Add more cardamom for a stronger flavor, if you prefer.  I wanted it to be ever-so-subtle, as I really relish the pure taste of rhubarb and I didn’t want that to be lost.  One important factor is to serve the pie cold from the refrigerator.  It’s just so much better that way.  The crust holds up beautifully and still remains flakey and crisp.  It will last for days when covered lightly with plastic wrap.  Enjoy the heck out of this one, friends.

Rhubarb Cardamom Custard Pie | Relishing It

Rhubarb Cardamom Custard Pie | Relishing It

The Recipe: Rhubarb Cardamom Custard Pie

Use 1/2 of this All Butter Pie Crust recipe

For the Rhubarb Cardamom Custard Filling:

1 cup full-fat sour cream

1/2 cup granulated sugar

1 teaspoon kosher salt

3 tablespoons all-purpose flour

1 egg

3 cardamom pods– seeds finely ground using a mortar and pestle (outer shells discarded) or 1/4 teaspoon ground cardamom

2 cups chopped rhubarb,  cut into about 1/4-inch thick pieces

For the Crumble:

1/3 cup granulated sugar

1/3 cup all-purpose flour

1/2 teaspoon cinnamon

1/4 cup cold unsalted butter, cubed

Follow the recipe and instructions  from this recipe to prepare the pie dough.  You will only use 1/2 of the amount.

Preheat the oven to 400°F.

To Make the Crumble Topping:  In a small bowl, stir the dry ingredients together with a  fork.  Then, using that fork, cut the butter into the mixture until it’s crumbly and everything is incorporated into the butter.  Store in the refrigerator until ready to use.

To Make the Rhubarb Cardamom Custard Filling:  Beat together the first 6 ingredients in a medium-sized bowl until smooth.  Then stir in the rhubarb.  Set aside.

Shape the pie dough into a 9-inch pie plate.  Pour the rhubarb cardamom custard filling into the pie.  Bake for 15 minutes.  Then reduce heat to 350°F  and bake for another 30 minutes.  Remove pie from oven and add the crumble mixture evenly to the top of the pie.  Return to oven and increase the heat to 400°F and bake for 10 more minutes.  Remove from oven and let cool completely on a cooling rack.  Cover loosely with plastic wrap and place in the refrigerator.  This pie is best served cold and will keep for days.  Enjoy!

Thanks for stopping by Relishing It!

Laurie

 

 

 

 

 

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Rhubarb and Strawberry Galette

Posted in Dessert, tagged , , , , , , on May 22, 2014| 10 Comments »

 

 

Rhubarb and Strawberry Galette | Relishing It

If you’re a regular visitor to my little corner of the internet, today’s recipe will come as no surprise.  But for those of you new to Relishing It, witness my obsession with galettes. Sweet or savory, I love a good galette.  They’re so versitile, tasty, and just gorgeous.  Since we’re rolling right into Spring/Summer and there’s so much wonderful fruit, that means that we are rolling right into galette season, too.

Rhubarb and Strawberry Galette | Relishing It

Rhubarb and Strawberry Galette | Relishing It

I spent the better part of a recent rainy afternoon stocking my freezer with homemade pie dough, so I have it at the ready whenever I get the inclination to whip up a galette.  Having the pie dough at my disposal makes things a bit easier.  Not that making it is difficult– it isn’t.  It takes less than 5  minutes to make a batch of pie dough.  No lie.  And the galette itself is almost foolproof.  Even the imperfections give it a rustic look that I love.

Rhubarb and Strawberry Galette | Relishing It

Rhubarb and Strawberry Galette | Relishing It

Being a food blogger, there is a certain amount of self-promotion on social media that you have to do in order to tell people that “Hey, I wrote a post and it’s worth reading”.   It’s something that in the beginning of blogging feels silly and awkward and then 3 years later, you don’t give it another thought.  It’s all part of the process and I get that.  You want to convey how wonderful and delicious something is, without sounding like a grand-standing braggert.  So, with this in mind– when I tell you I make killer galettes, I mean it.  Really.  They are so damn good that I wish I could eat one everyday for every meal.  There I said it.  I’m a braggert now.

Rhubarb and Strawberry Galette | Relishing It

The key is the crust. It’s buttery and flakey…. and buttery. Did I mention that it’s buttery? It has a wonderful crunch and the right amount of tenderness.  And it comes out perfect every single time. No guess work. Just follow the recipe and directions. Use frozen, grated butter– it never disappoints. In this version I wanted to use some delicious Spring rhubarb.  I generally am a straight-up rhubarb gal, but my family loves strawberry with it.  They work well together.  I made sure to not sweeten it too much, as I still love the tartness from the rhubarb.  I think this galette reaches the perfect balance.  Not cloyingly sweet, and not too tart.  Perfection.  Give it a try for yourself and make sure to share.

Rhubarb and Strawberry Galette | Relishing It

The Recipe: Rhubarb and Strawberry Galette

1/2 of this recipe for All Butter Pie Crust

1 cup diced red rhubarb

1 cup diced fresh strawberries

1/3 cup granulated sugar

1 tablespoon corn starch

pinch of kosher salt

1 egg mixed with 1 teaspoon water, for egg wash

2 tablespoons turbinado or demerara sugar, for sprinkling (or any coarse sugar)

Follow the recipe and directions for the All Butter Pie Crust.  You will only use half of the recipe, but make the entire amount.  The other half will keep in the freezer until you are ready to use it.  Thaw in the refrigerator the night before use.

Preheat the oven to 375 °F.  Place the oven rack in the middle position.  Have a baking sheet ready for the galette.

In a medium-sized bowl, mix the rhubarb, strawberries, cornstarch, sugar, and pinch of salt together until everything is coated.  Set aside.

Lightly sprinkle flour on a piece of parchment paper that will fit onto your baking sheet.  On a flat surface, place the dough in the center and use a lightly floured rolling pin to roll out to 12-inches.  Pour the fruit mixture into the center of the dough.  Flatten the mixture a bit with your hands.  Fold up about 1 1/2-inches of the dough around the edge.  Make sure to pinch the seams together along the way.  Then use a pastry brush to apply the egg wash.  Sprinkle with turbinado or demerara sugar.  Place the galette and parchment paper onto the baking sheet and into the oven.  Bake for about 45 minutes, or until the crust is a deep golden brown and the liquid bubbles a bit.  You may see some liquid run from the galette during the baking process if the seams didn’t get adequately sealed.  Don’t worry, it’ll turn out just fine.  Let cool before cutting into it.  Simply cover leftovers with a dishtowel, if there are any.  Enjoy!

A few other galettes you may enjoy:  Sour Cherry Galette, Blueberry Galette, Rustic Potato, Sauerkraut and Beef Galette, and Rustic Apple Galette

Thanks for visiting today– have a great weekend!

Laurie

 

 

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Rustic Rhubarb Tartlets

Posted in Breakfast, Dessert, tagged , , , , , , , on January 7, 2013| 17 Comments »

Rustic Rhubarb Tartlets via Relishing It

Rhubarb in January?!  No, I haven’t lost my mind, and I generally try to prepare and write about foods that are in season.  But every now and then I get tired of following the unwritten ‘rules’ of food blogging.  And since I had a few bags of rhubarb in my freezer just crying out to be made into more of these lovely tartlets, I figured why not?  So rhubarb in January it is.  Rhubarb freezes remarkably well, so there is no reason you shouldn’t be enjoying it’s unique, tart, splendor any time of the year.

Rhubarb

Rustic Rhubarb Tartlets via Relishing It

I’ve always loved rhubarb.  Especially the gorgeous, vibrant, red variety.  These tartlets are one of my favorite ways to enjoy this sometimes overlooked fruit.  Or vegetable.  Actually, it turns out rhubarb is a vegetable, but– and I’m not making this up– a court in New York ruled in 1947 that rhubarb is classified as a fruit in the U.S.  Anyway… the whole grains in the crust work impeccably well here.  One of the best ingredients in this recipe is the addition of the cornmeal.  It lends a nice toothsome bite that perfectly contrasts the soft rhubarb compote.

Rustic Rhubarb Tartlets via Relishing It

Rustic Rhubarb Tartlets via Relishing It

Aside from the flavors, I love the size of these tartlets.  They’re perfect little individual servings.  I’m not sure why, but I’m a sucker for most any miniaturized dessert.  There’s something so appealing about them.  I also love the rustic, ‘free-form’ look of the crust.  They have that homemade quality that just feels…genuine.  Like it was made just for you.  And since they’re ‘free-form’, there’s no wrong way to shape them.  Enjoy!

Rustic Rhubarb Tartlets via Relishing It

The Recipe:  Rustic Rhubarb Tartlets

(Makes 10 individual Tartlets)

The Rhubarb Compote:

1 pound fresh or frozen rhubarb, cut into pieces

1/2 cup brown sugar

1 teaspoon orange zest

The Pastry Dough:

1 cup unbleached all-purpose flour

1 cup whole wheat flour

1/2 cup fine cornmeal

1/4 cup granulated sugar

1 teaspoon kosher salt

1 stick cold butter, cut into small cubes

1/4 cup plus 2 tablespoons heavy cream

2 egg yolks

1 egg plus 1 teaspoon water, mixed together for an egg wash

To make the rhubarb compote:  Place the rhubarb plus brown sugar in a heavy-bottomed saucepan over medium heat.  Stir frequently.  Cook for 10-15 minutes, or until the rhubarb has softened and broken down a bit.  Remove from heat and stir in the orange zest.  Set aside.

Preheat your oven to 375°F.  Line a large baking sheet with parchment paper.

To make the pastry dough:  In a small bowl, mix the egg yolks and cream together.  Set aside. Sift the all-purpose flour, whole wheat flour, cornmeal, sugar, and kosher salt together and place into the bowl of a food processor (this recipe can easily be done by hand, too).  Next, add the butter and turn the mixer to low.  Increase to medium once the butter begins to get incorporated.  When the flour is coarse, like cornmeal, add the egg yolks/cream mixture and mix until just combined.  The dough will appear crumbly, but will hold it’s shape when squeezed together.

This dough is best when shaped right away, as it is really easy to work with.  If you need to refrigerate it for some reason, make sure to let it warm up before trying to roll it out.

Divide the dough into 10 equal pieces.   Lightly flour your work surface and roll each dough ball out to about a 5-inch circle.  Use a bench scraper, if your dough begins to stick.  Divide the rhubarb compote evenly among the circles — about 1/4 cup each.  Turn the edges of the dough up and around the compote and pinch the sides together.  The dough may split or break, but just keep pinching it together to create a seal.  Place the tartlets onto your prepared baking sheet.  Use a pastry brush and brush the dough with the egg wash.  Bake for about 35 minutes, or until the edges are a beautiful deep golden brown.  Remove from oven and cool.  These will keep well for days in a sealed container.  Enjoy with freshly whipped cream and a sprinkle of turbinado sugar!

Source:  Adapted from Good to the Grain by Kim Boyce

So glad you stopped by today ! xo

Laurie

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Rhubarb and Cardamom Tart

Posted in Dessert, tagged , , , , , , , on May 7, 2012| 12 Comments »

I hope you had a lovely weekend.  Mine was fantastic, despite– or perhaps because of– the rain here in Minnesota.  I love rainy days, and we certainly needed it here in the Midwest.  Everything is finally greening up after our nearly snow-less winter.  With an eye towards the forecast, I got the family up early to head to the farmers’ market before the downpour.  It was magnificent.  I’ll try to take photographs next time to share with you.  There were pops of color everywhere!  I was able to track down our usual early spring stores– spinach, scallions, pea shoots, asparagus, eggs, radishes, and more rhubarb.

Yes, I know I wrote about rhubarb last week in this coffee cake recipe, but if you’re ready for another go, this week I’m offering up a phenomenal tart with rhubarb and cardamom.  I ate almost the entire thing the day I made it.  It’s that good.  I spotted this tart years ago on Helene’s beautiful blog, Tartlette.  Rhubarb with cardamom is one of those brilliant combinations that you really must try.  The cardamom is very subtle– a little goes a long way– but it really seems to enhance the tart flavors of the rhubarb.

I wanted to make a relatively fuss-free crust for this tart– one that doesn’t have to be rolled out, but rather just gently patted into a pan.  This one turned out perfectly.  I blind baked the crust to ensure that it was nice and firm, since there’s nothing worse than having a fabulous filling ruined by a soggy crust.  As for that filling, this one is a divine creamy custard.  It’s just a few simple ingredients, but the creme fraiche makes it spectacular.  (Honestly, I think creme fraiche makes everything spectactular).  Like a little kid, I couldn’t stop licking the spatula!  With this recipe, you will probably have leftover custard, so pour it into baking cups and bake it along-side the tart.  They’ll be little bonus desserts.  Enjoy!

The Recipe: Rhubarb and Cardamom Tart

(Makes one 9-or-10-inch round tart or a 14-x-5-inch rectangle tart)

For poaching the Rhubarb:

5 stalks rhubarb, chopped (1 1/2 cups)

squeeze of lemon juice

1/2 cup water

1 tablespoon honey

For the Custard Filling:

3 eggs, room temperature

1 cup granulated sugar

1 cup creme fraiche (full-fat sour cream would work, too)

1/4 teaspoon cardamom

sprinkle of salt

For the Crust:

1 1/4 cups white whole wheat flour

3 tablespoons granulated sugar

1/2 teaspoon cardamom

sprinkle of salt

4 tablespoons cold butter, cut into 6-8 pieces

1 egg, beaten

To poach the rhubarb: In a small saucepan, bring the 1/2 cup of water, honey, and squeeze of lemon to a boil.  Place the chopped rhubarb in the water and cook for 2 minutes.  Remove rhubarb from water and set aside.  This can be done a day in advance — just place in a covered bowl in the refrigerator.  The water from the rhubarb is full of flavor — save it if you like and be creative with it!  Cook it down to form a syrup or mix it with a cocktail.

Meanwhile, prepare the tart crust.  Preheat an oven to 350°F.  In a large glass bowl, add the flour, sugar, cardamom, and salt.  Whisk them together to combine.  Using a pastry blender or fork, cut in the  butter, until the mixture resembles breadcrumbs.  Do not let the mixture become pasty.  Stir the beaten egg into the flour mixture.  The dough should look dry and crumbly.

Press the dough evenly and gently into a buttered tart pan, using floured fingertips.  Place a piece of lightly butter parchment paper over the tart and fill with baking weights or dried beans (I use the same beans over and over).  Blind bake for about 12-15 minutes, or until the tart is golden brown.  Remove from oven and let cool.

To make the custard filling:  In a bowl of a stand mixer fitted with a paddle attachment, add the eggs, sugar, cardamom, and sprinkle of salt.  Mix for  a couple of minutes until it is pale and airy.  Add the creme fraiche and mix until well combined.

To assemble the tart:  Distribute the poached rhubarb into the prepared tart crust.  Pour the custard filling over the rhubarb — being careful to not overfill it.  You will have leftover custard filling.  If you like, butter about 4 small ramekins and fill them with the custard.  Bake along side the tart for a bonus treat.  Place the tart on a baking sheet and bake for about 25-30 minutes, or until it is a beautiful golden brown.  Remove from the oven and let cool completely.  Serve with whipped cream, if desired.  Enjoy!

Source:  Custard filling adapted from Tartlette.  Crust adapted from How to Bake

Thanks for stopping in today!
Laurie

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Rhubarb Crunch Coffee Cake

Posted in Breakfast, Dessert, tagged , , , , , , , on April 30, 2012| 12 Comments »

And another seasonal food makes it’s first appearance!  This time it’s rhubarb’s turn in the spotlight.  You’ll probably see a similar line here next week with another ingredient–maybe even every week throughout Spring and Summer as I blog.  I can’t help it!  I just get so excited for all of this seasonal gorgeous, vibrant produce.

Rhubarb has been cropping up everwhere around here in the last week.  The first Twin Cities farmers’ markets of the season opened this weekend, so I hauled the family to our favorite one in St. Paul.  It was fun getting a chance to chat with the vendors again after the Winter break.  I’ve found that the first few weeks are a good time to connect with them– to see what they’ll be offering and how the season is shaping up– since they aren’t quite as busy as they’ll be by Summer.  I bought many things, including a bunch of rhubarb.  Even better, a friend was also kind enough to give me a huge bundle.  Perfect.

So what to do with all this rhubarb?  Well, this cake and this crumble are two of my favorite things to make with it.  But I’ve also found the coffee cake that you see in this post.  I love coffee cakes.  They’re perfect for…well…coffee in the afternoon, of course.  They’re also easy to make and stay moist for days.

The rhubarb is obviously the main attraction here.  It adds a notable, though restrained tartness.  The cake is perfectly sweetened.  I used my homemade 1 % yogurt, which was a nice substitute for sour cream.  It kept the cake wonderfully moist, and as a bonus, it has less calories.  The next time I make this one, I’m going to try it with white whole wheat flour to get the benefits of using a whole grain.  I’ll let you know how it turns out.  And if you try it that way first, let me know about it.  Enjoy!

The Recipe:  Rhubarb Crunch Coffee Cake

1/2 cup (1 stick) unsalted butter

1 cup granulated sugar

2 eggs at room temperature

1 teaspoon vanilla

1 cup yogurt or sour cream

2 cups all-purpose flour

1 1 /2 teaspoon baking powder

1 teaspoon baking soda

1/2 teaspoon kosher salt

For the Rhubarb and Crunch Topping:

2 cups chopped rhubarb

1 /4 cup plus 2 tablespoons brown sugar

1 tablespoon all-purpose flour

1 teaspoon cinnamon

1/2 cup chopped walnuts

1 tablespoon butter, softened

pinch of kosher salt

Preheat the oven to 350°F.   Butter an 8-inch square cake pan.

To prepare the Rhubarb and the Crunch Topping: Combine 2 cups of rhubarb with 2 tablespoons of brown sugar in a small bowl; set aside.  Using a fork, combine 1/4 cup of brown sugar, 1 tablespoon of flour, cinnamon, 1 tablespoon of butter, and a pinch of kosher salt in a small bowl until crumbly.  Stir in the walnuts; set aside.

In a medium-sized bowl, sift or whisk together 2 cups of all-purpose flour, baking soda, baking powder, and kosher salt; set aside.

In a bowl of a stand mixer fitter with a paddle attachment, cream together 1 stick of butter and granulated sugar until creamy.  Add the eggs, one at a time, scraping down the sides of the bowl after each one.  Cream for 2-3 minutes, until light and fluffy.  Add the yogurt and vanilla and mix until combined.  The mixture may look curdled at this point.  That is ok.  Add the dry ingredients and mix until everything is just combined, being careful not to over mix.

Place half of the cake batter into the pan and smooth out.  Sprinkle half of the crunch topping over the batter in the pan.  Dollop the remaining cake batter on top of the crunch topping and smooth out with an offset spatula.  Combine the remaining crunch topping with the rhubarb and pour that mixture evenly on the top of the cake.  Place in the oven and bake for about 55-60 minutes.  Check the center for doneness with a toothpick.  This cake will taste great right away and will be even more moist the following day.  Store covered at room temperature.  Enjoy!

Source:  Adapted from Kitchen Simplicity

Thanks for stopping by Relishing It!

Laurie

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Rhubarb Coffee Cake

Posted in Dessert, tagged , , , , on June 1, 2011| 6 Comments »

I hope you all had a lovely Memorial Weekend.  Ours was fun, though not ENTIRELY relaxing– both kids were sick Friday and Saturday– so we didn’t get out as much as we would have liked.  Thankfully, by Sunday all was well and we enjoyed a fantastic barbeque at our friends’ house down the street.  The dodgy weather even complied!  Much of the neighborhood was there, with kids running to-and-fro.  Everyone brought something to share.  I made these beauties and this dish from my friend, Angharad’s blog.  Fantastic!

Today I’m offering you another one of my favorite recipes to try before rhubarb season comes to a close.  (Hopefully you’ll freeze some rhubarb so you can enjoy it throughout the year).  I love coffee cake.  It’s simple and uncomplicated, not fussy, and almost always tastes sublime.  It’s one of those cakes that makes afternoons so much better– brew a pot of French-press coffee and enjoy.  The rhubarb makes this cake very moist, yet it doesn’t become mushy.  Even better, it’s not overly sweet– like many rhubarb dishes can be.  I added orange  zest for a hint of citrus, and topped it with almonds.  Together these three really came together to make a fantastic, delicious flavor.

The Recipe: Rhubarb Coffee Cake

For the Cake:

1 cup brown sugar, packed

1/2 cup white suger

1/2 cup, butter (at room temperature)

1 cup sour cream (at room temperature, if possible)

1 teaspoon salt

1 teaspoon almond extract (vanilla can be substituted)

1 egg (at room temperature)

1 teaspoon baking soda

1 teaspoon baking powder

Zest from 1-2 large oranges

1 cup whole wheat flour  (If you don’t have whole wheat flour, all-purpose can be substituted)

1 cup unbleached, all-purpose flour, plus more to coat the rhubarb

3 cups diced rhubarb

For the Crumb Topping:

1/2 brown sugar

1/4 cup butter (at room temperature)

1/2 teaspoon cinnamon

1/4 cup plus 2 tablespoons sliced almonds, toasted.

Preheat oven to 350°F.

Prepare a springform pan by buttering it, placing parchment paper on the bottom, buttering the parchment paper, then flouring. Shake out excess flour.  (Note: a 9×9 square pan can also be used)

To make the topping:  Mix the sugar, butter, and cinnamon together using a fork.  Then gently add the 1/4 cup of almonds.  Set aside.

In a small bowl, whisk together the flours, baking soda, baking powder, and salt.  Set aside.

In another bowl, toss the diced rhubarb with a little bit of flour so it is evenly coated.  Do not mix the excess flour into the cake.  This will prevent the rhubarb from falling to the bottom of the cake.  Set aside.

Using a stand mixer fitted with the paddle attachment, cream the sugars and butter until creamy, 2-3 minutes.  Beat in the egg.  Next,  add the sour cream, almond extract, and orange zest and combine until just mixed.  Add the flour mixture and blend until just mixed (over-mixing any cake when the flour is added will yield a very tough cake).  Next,  fold the rhubarb into the cake using a rubber spatula.  Pour into prepared pan, making sure it is even.  Sprinkle the topping on top of the cake (I found that using my fingers worked the best).  Then finish with the remaining sliced almonds.  Bake for 45-55 minutes, or until a cake tester comes out clean.  Let cake cool completely in pan on a cooling rack.  Run a knife around the edge of the pan and remove.  Enjoy!

Source: Adapted from Cakes and Frostings with Schmecks Appeal by Edna Staebler

Thanks for stopping by Relish It today!

Laurie

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Rhubarb, Strawberry, and Sticky Ginger Crumble

Posted in Dessert, tagged , , , on May 16, 2011| 5 Comments »

I’ve had a wonderful few weeks here in St. Paul.  Yes, I’ll admit it has been a bit too rainy and cold for my taste, but there have been beautiful days as well.  As for those rainy days, well, they green the grass and allow the flowers and trees to bloom.  I’ve been wandering around the neighborhood with my children, taking in Spring while they shake off the effects of a Winter spent indoors.  Getting back outside is magical.

Once the weather turns for the better, I start counting the days until various fruits and vegetables ripen.  Rhubarb is one of the first, and its also one of my favorites.  As a child, I never understood why anyone would ever put rhubarb in anything.  I had tasted it raw, as many children have, and was less than impressed.  Bitter, sour, overly-tough celery. Yum.  Now I love baking with it, and love the tartness that it adds to any dessert– especially those that are quite sweet.

Rhubarb goes great in many desserts (rhubarb-strawberry pie, anyone?), but I really love it in that simplest of inventions– the fruit crumble.  Cut up some ripe, delicious fruit, mix it with a bit of sugar, then make a crumb topping and bake.  Done.  It’s the perfect stress-free dessert to throw together and enjoy with friends.  It’s very difficult to mess up a crumble– no matter what it’ll be delicious.

The original recipe called for just rhubarb.  I’m sure it would be fantastic if you use just the one ingredient, but I didn’t have enough so I improvised.  Instead, I replaced half the recipe with fresh organic strawberries.  It ended up with that perfect balance of sweet and tartness.

The Recipe:  Rhubarb, Strawberry, and Sticky Ginger Crumble

2  3/4 cups rhubarb, cut into 1-inch chunks

5 cups strawberries, cut into large chunks

2/3 cup brown sugar

Zest and juice of 2 small blood oranges (or 1 regular orange)

1 scant cup of whole-wheat flour

1/2 cup cold butter

1/2 cup rolled oats

1/2 cup chopped, toasted walnuts

2 pieces of fresh ginger, pealed and chopped

Pre-heat your oven to 350°F.  Put the rhubarb half of the sugar (1/3 cup) into a sauce pan.  Add the orange juice and zest, put lid on top, bring to a boil and simmer for a few minutes.  Remove the lid and simmer for a couple more minutes, until the rhubarb has softened slightly.  Remove from heat and add the strawberries.  Pour into an ovenproof baking dish and spread out evenly.

To make the crumble topping, use your fingers to lightly rub together the flour and butter until the mixture resembles fine bread crumbs.  Stir in the oats, walnuts, the rest of the sugar (1/3 cup),  and the ginger.  (If you like, you can make the crumble topping in the food processor.  Just add the flour, butter, sugar,  and ginger and pulse a few times.  Then add the oats and walnuts and pulse for a few seconds more.)  Sprinkle the crumble over the rhubarb and bake in the preheated oven for 40 to 45 minutes, or until the rhubarb is bubbling and the crumble is golden.

Source:  Adapted from Jamie Oliver’s Jamie At Home Cookbook

Thanks again for stopping by for a visit!  Would love to hear if you are making any of the recipes and how they are turning out for you.  Hope you have a great start to the week!

Laurie

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