the best strawberry rhubarb crumble ever

This is the best strawberry rhubarb crumble ever, no foolin'. Sure I can be a bit generous in my praise at times, but trust me on this one. Go make this dessert now. Skip ahead to the recipe. I'll wait.

I made this dessert a while ago and I can't believe that I haven't posted it until now. Not only is it the very best crumble that I have ever made, but it's so perfect for this time of year when local rhubarb and strawberries have started to appear at farmer's markets around town. Throw a scoop of ice cream on top and hot-diggity-dog! Or spoon some into a bowl of hot Scottish oats the next morning and make your breakfast cry out for more.

I adapted the recipe from Smitten Kitchen and it will definitely turn into a staple for all kinds of fruit come summer and fall. I can imagine some pretty amazing magic with nectarines, raspberries and blueberries in July. But for now, I'll just have to look fondly at these photos and drool slightly over my keyboard.

strawberry rhubarb crumble
4 stalks rhubarb, diced
3 c strawberries, quartered
juice of one small lemon
1/4 c sugar (I used fruit sugar)
3 T cornstarch
pinch nutmeg

topping
1 c flour
1 t baking powder
1 T brown sugar
3 T raw sugar
zest of one lemon
1/4 c melted butter + 1 T olive oil
1/4 c chopped walnuts

Preheat oven to 375F. Add the rhubarb and strawberries to a casserole pan, tossing with the sugar, cornstarch and nutmeg. Squeeze in lemon juice and stir to combine. Set aside.

In a small bowl combine all the topping ingredients, except walnuts. Using a wooden spoon, stir everything until clumps form. Use your hands to scatter the topping evenly over the fruit. Sprinkle top with walnuts. Bake for 45 minutes until the topping is golden and the fruit have created a bubbly sauce. Cool slightly and serve with ice cream.

the not-so-humble crumble

One of the easiest desserts ever is the humble crumble. Or crisp. Whatever you call it, it barely calls for a recipe and it's delicious. When a crumble presents itself on the table, Cornelius is ready to bow down in its greatness. He looks down at me (he is well over six feet tall) with utter love in his eyes, "You made this for me?". It's a win-win situation. In talking about preparation, Cornelius is all for purity. "Two fruits, max", he lets me know. To me, that's just too little and always too late. Why settle for just 2 fruits when three kinds of fruit will just make everything better. Hell, I've been known to add four kinds of fruit...the more the merrier!

This crumble is a compromise. A three fruit marriage that isn't meant to last. In fact, I was hoping to eat this for breakfast the next morning with a plop of coconut yogurt, but Cornelius finished the leftovers before bed.

three fruit crumble
2 stalks of rhubarb, chopped into half moons
1 granny smith apple, diced
1 cup of strawberries, cut in half or quarters (I used frozen)
1/4 c - 1/2 c brown sugar (or so, depending on the sweetness of the fruit)
2 t cinnamon
1 large pinch of ground cardamon
1/4 t ground cloves
1 large pinch of nutmeg

1. Mix all the above into a medium sized oven proof dish, covering all the fruit with the sugar and spices.

2. Prepare the crumble topping:

2 T oats
2 T flour
2 T brown sugar
2 T cold butter (or vegan margerine)
2 T chopped walnuts

In a small bowl, blend topping ingredients (except walnuts) with your fingers. Stop when crumble resembles small peas. Pour over top of fruit and sprinkle with chopped walnuts. Bake in a 350 degree oven for 45 minutes or until fruit becomes soft and juicy and crumble turns golden brown.