Ah, strawberries and rhubarb—the ultimate dynamic duo of summer! Picture this:
a warm, bubbling crisp straight from the oven, filling your kitchen with a sweet-tart aroma that’s both nostalgic and invigorating. It’s like the feeling of finding an old concert ticket in your pocket—unexpected and utterly delightful.
This is not just a dessert; it’s an experience, a memory in the making. So grab a spoon or a fork—heck, use your hands—and let’s tumble into this delicious chaos.
Steps
- Preheat your oven to 350°F. In a large bowl, mix together rhubarb, strawberries, granulated sugar, cornstarch, and vanilla extract until the fruit is thoroughly coated, and the sugar no longer appears white.
- Transfer the fruit mixture into a 2-quart or 8-inch baking dish without greasing it, and set it aside while you prepare the topping.
- In a food processor, blend flour, brown sugar, granulated sugar, and salt until well combined, which should take about 30 seconds.
- Add cold butter to the mixture and pulse until it resembles coarse crumbs, with some pea-sized butter pieces remaining.
- Transfer the crumb mixture to a medium bowl, then stir in the oats and chopped pecans until combined.
- Evenly distribute the topping over the fruit mixture without pressing it down.
- Bake the dish for 45 to 55 minutes, until the fruit bubbles at the edges and the topping turns golden brown. Let it cool for 20 minutes before serving.
- Serve the crisp in shallow bowls, optionally with a scoop of vanilla ice cream or sweetened whipped cream.
Ingredients
- 1 pound rhubarb stalks, trimmed and sliced into ½-inch pieces (approximately 4 cups)
- ½ pound strawberries, hulled and quartered (approximately 2 cups)
- ½ cup granulated sugar
- 1½ tablespoons cornstarch
- 1 teaspoon vanilla extract
- ¾ cup all-purpose flour, measured and leveled
- ½ cup packed light brown sugar
- 2 tablespoons granulated sugar
- ¼ teaspoon salt
- 6 tablespoons unsalted butter, cut into ½-inch cubes
- ¾ cup old-fashioned rolled oats
- ½ cup chopped pecans
- Lightly sweetened whipped cream or vanilla ice cream
Nutritional Values
Calories: 2656 | Fat: 112g | Saturated fat: 48g | Carbohydrates: 392g | Sugar: 256g | Fiber: 24g | Protein: 32g | Sodium: 648mg | Cholesterol: 184mg
FAQ
- Can I use a different type of fruit in this crisp recipe?
- Yes, you can experiment with other fruits, but it’s important to maintain the balance between tart and sweet. Rhubarb is naturally tart and balances well with sweet strawberries. If substituting, ensure the fruits have a similar moisture content to avoid altering the texture.
- Why shouldn’t I increase the amount of strawberries in the recipe?
- Adding more strawberries than recommended can result in an overly juicy dessert, often referred to as “fruit soup,” because strawberries release a lot of juice when cooked.
- Can this strawberry rhubarb crisp be frozen?
- Absolutely, you can freeze the crisp. Make sure it’s tightly covered, and it can last up to three months in the freezer. When ready to serve, reheat it uncovered in a 300°F oven until it’s thoroughly heated and crispy on top.
- Do I need to butter the baking dish before adding the fruit mixture?
- No, there’s no need to butter the baking dish. The fruit mixture can be added directly to the dish without any greasing.
- How should I serve the strawberry rhubarb crisp?
- This dessert is best enjoyed warm, served with lightly sweetened whipped cream or a scoop of vanilla ice cream. However, leftovers can also be enjoyed with your morning coffee.
Tips
- Maintain the specified ratio of rhubarb to strawberries to avoid an overly juicy dessert, as adding more strawberries can result in a fruit soup-like consistency due to their high juice content.
- When preparing rhubarb, always ensure to trim and discard the leaves and rough ends, as the leaves are not safe for consumption.
- For a well-blended topping, pulse the flour, sugars, salt, and butter in a food processor until it resembles coarse crumbs with small butter clumps, then mix in the oats and pecans.
- If using a shallow baking dish, place it on a foil-lined baking sheet to catch any overflow while baking, to keep your oven clean.
Equipment
- Food Processor – Used to combine the flour, sugars, salt, and butter for the topping.
- 2-quart Baking Dish (or 8-inch baking dish) – Required for baking the fruit mixture and topping.
- Foil-lined Sheet Pan – Useful if your baking dish is shallow to catch any spills.
