Vintage Rhubarb Crumble (sweet, buttery topping)
This is an old-fashioned dessert that feels simple in the best possible way. No fancy ingredients or complicated technique, just rhubarb baked until bubbling under a crisp topping that’s hard not to eat straight from the pan.
Servings 6 servings
Ingredients
For the crumble:
- 1 cup all-purpose flour
- pinch of salt
- ¼ cup white sugar
- ⅓ cup light brown sugar
- ½ cup unsalted butter melted
For the rhubarb:
- 4 to 5 cups rhubarb pieces fresh or frozen, see Notes below
- 2 tablespoons light brown sugar
- 2 teaspoons fresh lemon juice
- ½ teaspoon lemon zest
- 2 teaspoons cornstarch or flour optional, for a thicker syrup
Instructions
- Preheat the oven to 350°F (180°C).
For the crumble:
- In a medium bowl, combine 1 cup all-purpose flour, a pinch of salt, ¼ cup white sugar, and ⅓ cup light brown sugar.
- Drizzle ½ cup unsalted butter, melted, over the dry ingredients and stir with a fork until it resembles coarse, clumpy crumbs. Cover and keep refrigerated while you make the filling or up to a week. Or frozen for a month.
For the rhubarb layer:
- Have ready an oven-proof glass or ceramic, deep baking dish (I use an 8x11-inch deep dish, oval one, but a 9-inch round or square baking dish also works).
- Scatter 4 to 5 cups rhubarb pieces in the dish and sprinkle with 2 tablespoons light brown sugar and drizzle with 2 teaspoons fresh lemon juice. Grate ½ teaspoon lemon zest over them and stir to mix lightly. You can also use a large bowl to mix the fruit and transfer it to the prepared dish.
- If using 2 teaspoons cornstarch or flour to thicken the juices, dissolve them first in the lemon juice (or same amount of extra water) before drizzling it over the sugar.
- Top the rhubarb with this mixture. It will cover the surface irregularly, and the edges will not have much. That's fine.
- Bake for about 40 minutes, until dry, golden, and the reddish fruit juices are bubbling.
- Let cool on a wire rack until warm and eat with some whipped cream or vanilla ice cream.
- Keep leftovers refrigerated, covered in plastic wrap or in an airtight container, and warm slightly before eating to bring back the crispiness of the topping.
Notes
Though I favor and encourage seasonal, fresh fruit, rhubarb has a short season and can be frozen. Frozen fruit tends to release more liquid as it bakes, and I find that thawing the rhubarb is a good idea, as it tends to develop an icy coating, even if it's in an airtight container. If this is not the case for you, use it directly from the freezer.
Fresh rhubarb: Look for firm, crisp, medium-thick stalks for the best texture, as large ones might be tougher and need to be peeled. Avoid limp or blemished ones. Color doesn’t equal flavor; green rhubarb can be just as tasty as red. If using frozen rhubarb (not my first choice, but you can), don't thaw; use it straight from the freezer.
Cornstarch or flour, yes or no? I don't normally use it, as I like very juicy fillings. And it depends on the rhubarb. If it's frozen, you're on the safe side adding it as the fruit tends to have more liquid.
