Rhubarb Crisp - How to Make Home-made Rhubarb Crisp

Rhubarb Crisp - How to Make Home-made Rhubarb Crisp

Rhubarb Crisp, similar to Rhubarb Crumble or the closely related Rhubarb Cobbler is my favorite of that group.  It is the tastiest... and healthiest.  It's mostly rhubarb and oats!  And everyone loves it!

Crisps, crumbles and cobblers are all shallow pans of fruit and some flour or grain thickener, with a sweetener. Some cobblers are made with the flour on top of the raw seasoned fruit and baked; while others mix the thickener and the sweetener with the fruit and heating it and then put the flour topping on last.  Crisp are usually uniform mixes of fruit and grains, usually oats.  Here's how to make a great tasting rhubarb crisp, in easy steps, with photos to illustrate each step.

 If you want to make this gluten free, just substitute oat flour for the wheat flour, and arrowroot strach or potato starch for the corn starch.

 

Ingredients

The recipe consists of 3 portions: the chopped rhubarb, the crumb bottom and topping, and a liquid sweetener/thickener

• Rhubarb - 2 and 1/4 lbs of rinsed, rhubarb stalks. That's about 4 1/2 cups of chopped fresh rhubarb. Rhubarb is a Spring to early summer crop, so other times of the year, you can substitute frozen rhubarb.

 

 

 

 

Crumb portion:

• 1 cup of flour - plain , all-purpose flour.
• 3/4 cup uncooked oats (like Quaker rolled oats) I think rolled works better than steel cut.
• 1 cup brown sugar. Yes, you may substitute honey (3/4 cup) or agave syrup (3/4 cup)  If you need to cut calories or are diabetic, you can substitute part of all of the sugar with a heat-tolerant substitute (Stevia or Splenda) using an equivalent amount according to the directions on the sweetener's package (usually 1-to-1, or in this case 1 cup)
• 1 cup softened butter. Again, you may use a butter substitute, if that is your preference.
• 1 teaspoon of cinnamon

 

 

 

Liquid portion

• 1 cup sugar (Again you may substitute honey (3/4 cup) or agave syrup (3/4 cup)  If you need to cut calories or are diabetic, you can substitute part of all of the sugar with a heat-tolerant substitute (Stevia or Splenda) using an equivalent amount according to the directions on the sweetener's package (usually 1-to-1, or in this case 1 cup)
• 2 tablespoons corn starch (called corn flour in the UK)
• 1 tablespoon vanilla extract.  There's no doubt, real vanilla extract tastes better than imitation.
• 1 cup water

 

Equipment

• Oven (duh!) preheated to 350 F (or 177 C)
• glass or metal 9 inch square baking dish (9 inches by 9 inches by at least 1.5 inches ( 23 cm by 23 cm by 4 cm)
• 2 medium sized mixing bowls
• measuring cups and measuring spoons
• Large mixing spoon, cutting knife, etc.

 

Directions / Recipe / Instructions

Click here for a PDF print version

Step 1 - Wash and chop the rhubarb

Just wash the rhubarb under cold water, using your fingers to rub the stalks, especially allong the inside channel where dirt typically sticks. Then chop into  1/2 to 1 inch pieces (1.5 cm to 2.5 cm). Be sure to cut off the bottom portion of the stalk that attaches to the plant - it's tough.  See the photo at right.  Two and a quarter pounds is about 4.5 cups of chopped rhubarb, so if you don't have a scale, just use a measuring cup.

 This is a good time to get the oven preheating to 350 F. (177 C)

 

 

 

 

 

Step 2 - Measure and mix together the crumb portion ingredients

Mix the dry ingredients:

• 1 cup flour,
• 3/4 cup uncooked oats,
• 1 cup brown sugar (or your choice of sweetener) and
• 1 teaspoon of cinnamon

 

together in a mixing bowl.

 

Step 3 - Grease the baking dish

Just take your finger and about 1 tablespoon of butter, coconut oil, shortening, or spray coating to evenly coat the interior surfaces of the pan.

 

Step 4 - Put half of the crumbs in the bottom of the 9 by 9 baking pan

Put 1/2 of the crumb mix in the bottom of the greased pan and gently pat them down into place, with the back of a large spoon.

  

  

 

 

 

  

 

Step 5 - Add the chopped rhubarb

 Put the chopped rhubarb in the pan on top of the first half of the crumbs.

  

 

Step 6 - Mix the liquid portion ingredients

In a small bowl, mix together the

• 1 tablespoon of vanilla extract,
• 1 cup sugar (or your other choice of sweetener),
• 2 tablespoons of cornstarch,
• 1 cup of water (yes, you can use organic, whole grain, gluten free, mountain spring water*)

(*  I'm just messing with you, there is no such thing.  Thank god..)

 

 

Step 7 - Pour the liquid portion over the rhubarb

That's it, just pour the liquid from Step 6 evenly over the rhubarb in the pan

  

 

 

 

 

   

Step 8 - Sprinkle the remaining crumbs on

Evenly sprinkle the remaining crumbs over the rhubarb.

  

  

Step 9 - Bake for 1 hour

Longer won't usually hurt, but an hour usually does it.  Add 15 minutes or so for higher altitudes

  

  

 

Step 10 - Consume. Eat. Snarf...

Many people prefer it warm with iice cream on top. It will keep for a week in the fridge.  If you don't ahve children, a spouse and you yourself have good self-control.