Rhubarb Crumble

Rhubarb, strawberries, and raspberries, with an almond crumble make this Rhubarb Crumble perfect for spring and summer especially with a little vanilla ice cream on top!

What is streusel?

Streusel is similar to the crumb topping you would find on a coffee cake but it is usually a bit thicker and slightly less crumbly. Almost like sugar cookie dough that gets crumbled on top and bakes into little crunchy crumbly bits. This version includes almonds for a bit of extra crunch but you can totally leave them out!

What’s the difference between a cobbler, crumble, and a crisp?

Ok to be honest I had to look this one up too because in Germany there aren’t all of these versions. All three are baked fruit with SOMETHING on top. However, a cobbler has more of a biscuit/pie dough topping whereas crumbles and crisps have a crumblier, streusel like topping, usually including the addition of oats. Based on what I can find, a crumble and a crisp are basically the same just from different places.

What baking dish is best for a crumble?

A crumble is one of the few times I actually recommend using a ceramic or glass baking dish. The acidity of the fruit can often react with metal and give it a weird metallic flavor. Additionally crumbles are best served straight from the dish so using a beautiful dish only makes sense.

Tips for making a Rhubarb Crumble

• The best part about making a crumble is that it’s super flexible aka you can really make it in any size pan you want depending on what you need and how much fruit you have. That being said, it can be hard to give exact measurements depending on the size of your baking dish.
• If you’re using a different size of baking dish. It’s easiest to measure by filling the dish with a hefty pile of your chopped fruit. That will be how much you need, then transfer to a mixing bowl to add the other ingredients.
• Similarly with the fruit, the crumble can easily be adjusted, this one is a simple area of a circle adjustment. Simply calculate the area of the surface of your baking dish and compare it to 50 which is the surface area of the dish I’m using.
• Either forced or standard rhubarb will work for this crumble. I like to add the strawberries and raspberries because they enhance the pink color which can often get lost when using standard rhubarb.
• Fresh or frozen berries will work, there’s no need to defrost beforehand.
• The longer you let the crumble cool, the more the juices will thicken. It’s delicious warm or at room temperature.
• Top this with anything from vanilla ice cream, to whipped cream, to vanilla custard sauce or leave it plain!

Additional Fruit focused recipes to try!

• Plum Berry Crumble
• Rhubarb Raspberry Crumb Cake
• Rhubarb & Custard Trifle

Ingredients for a Rhubarb Crumble

• Rhubarb: There are two types of rhubarb, forced and standard. Forced rhubarb is very pink throughout and a little sweeter whereas standard can turn a muddled color once cooked and is sometimes a little more tart. Either type will work for this crumble!
• Berries: I like to do a combination of strawberries and raspberries for this crumble. To be honest I don’t love just strawberries and rhubarb; but raspberries with rhubarb enhance the bright tartness which balances out the sweet buttery streusel. Fresh or frozen will work!
• Lemon: Lemon zest and juice are mixed in with the chopped fruit to maintain the brightness.
• Sugar: White granulated sugar is used in the rhubarb filling and the streusel.
• Butter: Butter is the key to rich and crisp streusel. I like to use salted but unsalted will work too!
• Salt: Fine sea salt helps balance out all of the sweetness and enhances the flavors.
• Vanilla & Almond Extract: Vanilla adds flavor and enhances the sweetness of the and the filling and almond extract is key for the almond flavor of the crumble.
• Corn Starch: Starch thickens the juices released by the fruit while baking. I prefer to use starch and not flour because flour often sinks to the bottom and creates clumps.
• All purpose flour: All purpose flour is needed for the crumble but a 1:1 gluten free flour will work too!
• Almonds: Sliced almonds add extra flavor and crunch to the crumble.

How to make a Rhubarb Crumble?

Rhubarb Filling

• Preheat the oven to 350 F and place a rack in the center of the oven.
• Rinse the rhubarb. If the stalks are more than an inch wide, cut them in half lengthwise. Then trim off the ends and cut into 1/2″-1″ chunks.
• Rinse and remove the tops from the strawberries. Chop into 1/2″ chunks as well.
• If you need to measure, add the chopped rhubarb and strawberries into your baking dish, then add raspberries until you have a decent mound on the baking dish.
• Transfer all of the fruit into a large mixing bowl and then add in the lemon zest, juice, sugar, salt, vanilla, and starch. Stir until combined and no more starch is visible.
• Pour the mixture back into the baking dish and set aside while you make the streusel.

Almond Crumble

• In a medium bowl use a fork to stir together the soft butter, vanilla, almond extract, sugar and salt.
• Pour in the flour and mix until combined. Last, add in the sliced almonds and mix once more.
• Crumble the streusel on top of the fruit, be sure to kind of press clump it around the edges of the mounded fruit.
• Place the dish onto a baking sheet to catch and drips or overflow.

Bake the Crumble

• Place the dish on the baking sheet into the preheated oven and bake for 45 minutes. Rotate it 180 degrees and bake for another 30-40 minutes until the fruit is bubbling and the streusel is golden brown.
• You may need to bake longer if using a bigger baking dish but it should be about the same amount of time as long as your baking dish isn’t more than 2″ deep.
• Once baked, remove from the oven and leave to cool for 5-10 minutes on a wire rack just so you don’t burn your mouth. The longer you let it cool the more the juices will thicken.
• To serve, optionally top with vanilla ice cream, whipped cream, or a vanilla custard sauce.
• This can be kept at room temperature for a few hours but I recommend storing leftovers in the fridge!

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