That’s right. Raw. (The stalks, not the leaves which are poisonous.)
What Does Rhubarb Taste Like?
Have you ever tried biting into a piece of raw rhubarb stalk? I dare you. It’s like a hundred times more sour than a lemon (OK maybe a little exaggeration here). It’s screaming tart. It’s “what was I thinking?” tart. Anyway, rhubarb is not safe around this house. The refrigerator half-life for rhubarb is a couple hours at best. This last bunch we put to work into this lovely rhubarb crumble! Taking a tip from The Flavor Bible, I added a touch of cardamom to the vanilla and rhubarb in the filling, rhubarb+cardamom+vanilla being one of those match-made-in-heaven flavor combinations. Another favorite combo with rhubarb that I love is ginger and orange zest, which would also work great with this crumble. Feel free to experiment.
How Much Sugar to Add to Rhubarb
The only thing you need to really keep an eye on is making sure you have enough sugar to balance out the tartness of the rhubarb. The ratio of rhubarb to sugar in this recipe is perfect for us, but if it ends up being too tart for you, add a little more sugar, or just eat with vanilla ice cream, whipped cream, or even straight cream.
The Difference Between a Crisp and a Crumble
Crisps and crumbles are similar, and often the terms are used interchangeably. However, traditionally a crisp includes oats or nuts in the topping, and a crumble—like this one—does not.
How to Serve and Store Rhubarb Crumble
Serve this dessert warm, but let it sit for about a half hour after it comes out of the oven so it’s not too runny. Serve plain, or serve with fresh whipped cream, vanilla ice cream, or yogurt on top. Or serve at room temperature or cold. Store crumble covered at room temperature for up to two days or in the refrigerator, tightly covered to preserve moisture, up to one week.
5 More Rosy Rhubarb Desserts
Strawberry Rhubarb Pie Rhubarb Fool Rhubarb Ginger Galette Rhubarb Sorbet Strawberry Rhubarb Crumble Bars
Adapted from Catherine Newman’s Rhubarb Crumble in Oprah Magazine, May 2009.
2 pounds rhubarb, cut into 1-inch pieces (about 6 cups) 1 1/4 cups white sugar 1/4 cup all-purpose flour 1 teaspoon vanilla extract 1/4 teaspoon ground cardamom
Crumble Topping:
1 cup all-purpose flour 1/2 teaspoon salt 1 cup light brown sugar 8 tablespoons (1 stick) butter, cut into cubes
Spoon into a 9 x 13-inch baking dish. Spread topping mixture over rhubarb mixture. Serve with vanilla ice cream or whipped cream.
