strawberry rhubarb crumble
April 25, 2014 § 80 Comments
It is rhubarb season! Next time you go to the market pick up 8 stalks of rhubarb along with a punnet of strawberries and make this crumble. This dessert is deliciously sweet from the strawberries but pleasantly sharp and tangy from the rhubarb and lemon. I am not a skilled baker at all, but while in the middle of making the crumble topping something about the measurements and ingredients in the particular recipe I was using did not seem quite right. I stopped to take a quick look at other recipes online to compare crumble toppings. In my search I stumbled upon this scrumptious Smitten Kitchen strawberry rhubarb crumble. I switched recipes and in no time this was in the oven. Serve this while it is still warm with a scoop of vanilla bean ice cream, you and those your are dining with will be very happy.
Slight adaptation from Smitten Kitchen’s recipe. (In the filling I used flour instead of corn starch and suggest using juice from 1/2 lemon rather than one whole lemon)
I n g r e d i e n t s
For the topping:
1 1/3 cup flour
1 teaspoon baking powder
3 tablespoons sugar
3 tablespoons Demerara sugar
Zest of one lemon
1/4 pound (1 stick) unsalted butter, melted
For the filling:
1 1/2 cups rhubarb, chopped into 1-inch pieces
1 1/2 cups strawberries, sliced in half
1 quart strawberries plus a few extras, hulled, quartered
Juice of 1/2 lemon
1/2 cup sugar
2 tablespoons flour
Pinch of salt
Heat oven to 375°F. Prepare topping: In a mixing bowl, combine flour, baking powder, sugars and lemon zest and add the melted butter. Mix until small and large clumps form. Refrigerate until needed.
Prepare filling: Toss rhubarb, strawberries, lemon juice, sugar, four and a pinch of salt in a 9-inch deep-dish pie plate.
Remove topping from refrigerator and cover fruit thickly and evenly with topping. Bake until crumble topping is golden brown in places and fruit is bubbling beneath, about 40 to 50 minutes. Crumble filling has a tendency to spill over in your oven while baking. Place pie plate on a foil lined baking tray to prevent a mess in your oven!
COTTAGE GROVE HOUSE 
That looks delicious!
Thank you…and it was so nice of you to stop in and comment. :)
Oh my, I think I could eat the whole thing. Love the combination and yes warm with vanilla ice cream please!
I have to say I came pretty close to eating the whole thing myself. My favorite desserts are with cooked fruit and there is no stopping me once I get a spoon in my hand! Don’t even need a dish. :)
Oh me too, I love crumble’s, pies, cobblers anything with cooked fruit, just give me a spoon!
Thank you for sharing this. I LOVE strawberry and rhubarb!!!
Pleasure is all mine! I love the two fruits together too. The contrast between the sweet strawberries and tart rhubarb is very nice on the palate. Have a good weekend! :)
Looks and sounds delicious. Loving the idea of the lemon zest in the crumble topping. Mmmm!
Thank you…this was a bit more sour/tart than I have had in a crumble before. The added lemon really sort of made me pucker up! I really enjoyed it though. :)
Oh does this sound good, strawberry and rhubarb together just scream spring. Love the touch of lemon zest.
Hi Cheri. The rhubarb is in abundance right now isn’t it! This is a wonderfully tart dessert. I don’t think I have ever found a disappointing recipe from Smitten Kitchen. Enjoy the weekend! You’re heading to Oregon soon, right? :)
I want, I want, I want. I thought I had my heart set on baking a cake for Mother’s Day, but when I saw this, I knew instantly that my aunt would prefer this to cake. It just so happens that I will be at the farmers market tomorrow and will have to look for rhubarb to make this! I usually add nuts to my crumble topping for a bit of crunch and will probably do that with this recipe. I had to look up what “punnet” meant. I didn’t know the basket had a specific name!
Hahaha. I know…punnet really is a funny word isn’t it! I might just have to make it again and put nuts in the crumble. Great idea. Are you thinking walnuts? Hmm. Perhaps pistachios would add a lovely green hue! Let me know what you choose and hope you love it. Have a good weekend!
Got my rhubarb yesterday! So excited to see the red of those stalks at the farmers market. I do usually add walnuts to the crumble topping, and like your idea of pistachios for color. My aunt will love this. I’ll let you know how it goes.
I have been thinking about this tart a little Ngan. You may want to use less lemon than is listed on the recipe. The outcome was pretty sour/tart and unless your aunt has a serious palate for such tartness you may want to scale back to 1/2 a lemon. So glad you found the rhubarb. Let me know the outcome! :)
yumm….
I can’t wait to try this. Your adaptation is just beautiful. I can’t wait to taste it! :-)
Thank you Shanna. If you decide to make this take a little caution with the lemon. I followed Deb’s recipe closely and used the juice of a whole lemon. Although I really enjoy sour not everyone would I’m sure! …. I always enjoy your comments.
Mmmmm….such a picture of loveliness!!!
Thank you Elaine!
is rhubarb native to where you live? it’s so expensive in Texas!
Well, I do see it growing in gardens here. Our farmer’s markets are choke full of them. Not too expensive. Isn’t it a bummer when things are so expensive? It just doesn’t seem like it should be like that. Our climate is completely different from Texas so, perhaps it is cheaper here since it grows here. Hmmm. Our baseball team is playing your team tonight! Seattle Mariner’s vs. Texas Rangers! :)
I’ve been looking for rhubarb every time I’m at the market…it should be here anyway. Your crumble looks delicious. The only thing I might change is a little less lemon juice as my husband might think it was a bit too tart.
Couldn’t agree with you more. I probably should have noted in the post about the level of tartness. We really enjoyed it, but it certainly can be a bit too sour for some. Enjoy your weekend! :)
That looks STUNNING! Wow!
Thank you so much! :) It must be the vibrant red!
Wow! I’ve never had strawberries in a crumble…. must try this!
Hi Melissa. Hope you enjoying these days at The Glen House…such a lovely place. Yes, if you happen upon rhubarb and strawberry they are lovely together, sweet and tart. Hope you get a chance to try. Thank you for stopping in at cottage grove house!
Strawberry/Rhubarb great combination in our house. Your crumble looks delicious.
Thank you so much Jovina. I was worried my comment yesterday sounded a bit rude. I hope not! I commented on how I am not keen on seafood anymore…your post is lovely!
I love crumbles, home-made a lot & this tasty looking combo of juicy strawberries & cool rhubarb is really something for me, for sure!
I would serve this with pouring vanilla custard,…ooh yes! :) MMMMMM!
Me too! I actually prefer crumbles over pie, and I’m crazy about pie! Pouring vanilla custard would be fabulous with this. Thank you.
Strawberry and rhubarb, swoon. This looks spectacular!
I love that word….swoon. I love saying it and love the definition. Ok, I did just say love 3 times! I must be in a good mood….
Strawberry and rhubarb are such a great couple… beautiful!
Thank you. Nice of you to stop in and leave me a lovely comment. I agree strawberry and rhubarb are a great couple. Strawberries bring sweetness into the sour rhubarb…a great marriage!
This rhubarb crumble looks so inviting and scrumptious, Seana. It’s been along time since I have made a crumble, thanks for sharing. Have a great weekend!
Thank you! ;) I hope you get an chance to make a crumble soon, it’s my favorite dessert. I love cooked fruits and this was particularly nice with the tartness and all. Hope your weekend is going well!
It is 8.24am, but I really want this now :)Great recipe!
I know the feeling. Sometimes the clock doesn’t matter at all when it comes to food. Thank you Kate.
Hell yeah homie!!
:)
Oh, you tempt me. Rhubarb crumble is glorious on its own but strawberry & rhubarb & vanilla custard… Perfection. My British husband taught me about crumble when we met, gorgeous (both, of course). Thanks for the impulse, I needed that, got to shop now. N.
I’m finally catching up on the strawberry rhubarb comments…so glad you actually made it and can’t wait to hear about and see it too. Chat soon Nicole!
Hi, Seana, you are right, this is stressy, must be something in the crumble. Just finishing ours for pudding tonight, here is my version with rosewater (& other crumble mixture). How exciting this is, yes, speak to you soon.
This is one of my favorite Spring flavor combinations. The tart & sweet. Very inviting photo. Aren’t crumbles just the easiest and best way to showcase fruit?
HI Teresa…yes, crumbles really are my favorite desserts. Especially served warm. The combination of rhubarb and lemon were quite tart so having the strawberries in the mix to offset that was very nice. I think a little less lemon would be better with this particular one. Nice to see your comment!
Lovely. I cooked a crumble with rhubarb and ginger last week. You just gotta love crumble.
Rhubarb and ginger sounds like a really good match. Crumbles are my favorite, no doubt.
Wow, your Rhubarb & Strawberry crumble looks gorgeous. I have promised myself to start cooking with Rhubarb this year & this is going on my list of things to make :)
I don’t seem to use rhubarb much in my cooking either, I would like to try a few more recipes. I have been seeing a nice rhubarb cake I would like to bake. Maybe there are some good savory ways to use rhubarb? I’ll have to search a little. :)
Yum, I love rhubarb and this crumble sounds delish
Leah! Hello. Nice to see your comment this morning. Crumbles are the best aren’t they. Must make more crumbles…
Oh I so agree. I don’t make them enough either because my other half is not such a fan. Good news is more for me :-)
This looks so delicious… I love strawberry rhubarb anything… But I think that a crumble is near and dear to my heart! Absolutely perfect.. I just love your photo-manship.. They’re always so warm and beautiful.. I know I always say that Seana… But it’s true. For reals.. <3
Thank you Prudy. This is the first time I made a strawberry rhubarb crumble and we loved it. You are always so encouraging to me and I appreciate all your wonderful comments! Thank you…you can say it all you want, I’m tickled pink to hear it from you. :)
mmmmmm..such a pretty red. Classic combination and you have me jonsing for rhubarb/
This is the naturally reddest food I have ever eaten! Well beets are red, but more of a purple red. This is full on RED and I didn’t even use food coloring. :) It was so tart and delicious…I’m new to rhubarb and I think I like it.
Oh my goodness… I’m going on a hunt for rhubarb tomorrow… I haven’t been able to find it at my local (icky) Safeway. But this recipe is inspiring a serious adventure!
Ha! I actually laughed when you said (icky) Safeway, because I relate. I don’t want to call myself a grocery store snob but I’m sorry to say I must have a little snobbery in me. I hadn’t been to Safeway in months and stopped in the other day. I thought I’d save a little $ and do the weeks shopping. I left the store with 1/2 a bag of groceries! The produce didn’t look too fresh. I was uninspired and when I really looked the prices were not that far off from my regular market. I drove off and went to “my” market. Ok…off my soapbox now, sorry. Hope you find a source for rhubarb!
Somehow I always forget about how much I adore rhubarb. Thank you for reminding me! What a beautiful dessert. Can’t wait to try…
Hi Sarah. Thank you for your nice comment. Rhubarb is such a lovely tart vegetable to use in a sweet dessert. Hope you get a chance to try the crumble. It’s so simple to put together and the award is big. :)
Here’s how inspirational your post is: https://www.flickr.com/photos/thejameskitchen/14050096893/. I ate two portions…
I love it! Your photographs are gorgeous. I hope you plan on posting it! Thank you, I’m inspired now too.
Hi (is it Seana ?). Thank you, you are so kind and simply lovely. I will post it soon, have already written part of it though I have been experimenting this morning with the photographs – before all of the crumble is gone! About the inspiration, this is so much fun: I am going to fiddle with your sweet pea pie soon – might have the last of my pea shoots in it. Nicole
Hi Nicole…it is Seana. (Shawna) I agree, I have had so much fun since I started blogging a year ago and have had the pleasure of chatting with other fine cooks like you. I’m excited to see your posts and how brilliant using pea shoots in the sweet pea pie! Please let me know when you post them….don’t want to miss out.
This looks divine! Love crumbles!
Thank you so much Jessica… :)
I am so doing this. It looks so wonderful. Rhubarb was always fascinating to me and now that it’s in season, this looks like the perfect recipe to start with!
The crumble didn’t make it through the evening, needless to say it was that good. I actually ate my share before dinner! Can’t say I have had dessert before dinner before but I couldn’t stop when I “tested” it. Hindsight it was a bit sour for me…I just edited the post a little decreasing the lemon juice. Nicole (thejameskitchen) just posted this crumble using rose water. Now that sounds good. Hey, I read one of your comments somewhere and you mentioned you love biking. So do we! (husband and I) We ride quite a bit together. Road biking. :)
Omg yes at the garum factory! We love biking. So cool. We seem to have a lot I common. I got the rhubarb so I’m going to check out your changes.
I made this last night and it was wonderful. My first experience with rhubarb! Thanks for the great recipe! I like it both tart and sweet. Perfect.
[…] happening around and… something sneaked up on me: Strawberry-rhubarb crumble. Reading about it here yesterday, I suddenly realized that I could not even remember how long ago we had a crumble (a sad […]
Oh, this is beautiful, Seana! I would gobble this down a la mode!
Oh yay! Rhubarb season is rather exciting in my opinion, it’s one of my absolute favourite things. Love the look of this stunning crumble… that brilliant rhubarb and strawberry hue makes me rather happy, though I’d be even happier if I could dig right in! Gorgeous recipe Seana. I want to track down some fresh strawberries and make this tonight! xx
This looks amazing! I love apple crumble but have never tried a rhubarb one. I think I should now! :)
So delicious and very adaptable for other fruits in season. I love that the crumble topping has lemon zest added – I’ll try that for sure next time! :)
Rhubarb is a belated discover. It has been love at the first bite. Now I’d like to catch up on the last time… your crumble is a perfect recipe to reach my purpose! thanks for sharing!
Beautiful! I’ve been sooooo excited for rhubarb season, I’ve already baked with rhubarb 3 times in 2 weeks!!
[…] something for weeks leading up to this lunch, but then Seana at Cottage Grove House posted her strawberry rhubarb crumble and I knew immediately that I needed to change my plans. Aunt Stephanie loves strawberry rhubarb […]