I'm pretty sure rhubarb season has been in full force (or perhaps already just a sweet (tart?) memory) for quite awhile in most places, but it has just started to make its presence known up here in the Northwoods. The first time I saw the ruby red stalks at my favorite grocery store in town, I couldn't help but pick up two pounds of the stuff.
In the past I've made strawberry-rhubarb cobbler, strawberry-rhubarb cream cheese crumble bars, rhubarb bread, strawberry-rhubarb crumble, strawberry-rhubarb streusel cake ... the list goes on and on. (Honestly, I never realized how many rhubarb recipes I've made here on the blog!)
We had a guest over for dinner last night, so I wanted to make something simple for dessert that wasn't too fussy. Deb of Smitten Kitchen recently posted a recipe for strawberry-rhubarb crisp bars, and with a quart of strawberries in the fridge, I quickly settled on trying out her recipe. Of course, I couldn't help but make a couple tweaks here and there, including browning the butter rather than just melting it in order to get a slightly deeper flavor.
These bars are quite easy to make (Deb's instructions make it a one-bowl recipe, though I've done things differently here) and they taste absolutely delicious. Chilling the bars in the fridge gives them a firmer, more crisp texture; they will be more tender if you keep them at room temperature. And of course, a scoop of vanilla ice cream on the side is never a bad idea.
Strawberry-Rhubarb Crisp Bars (printer-friendly version)
makes 8 large or 16 small bars
3/4 cup unbleached all-purpose flour
1/2 cup light brown sugar
heaping 1/4 teaspoon fine sea salt
1/2 teaspoon ground cinnamon
1/8 teaspoon ground ginger
6 tablespoons unsalted butter, melted (and browned, if desired)
1. Preheat the oven to 350 degrees (375 degrees if using a metal dish). Line an 8x8-inch square baking dish with parchment paper. Set aside.
2. In a medium bowl, stir together the diced rhubarb, diced strawberries, lemon juice, sugar, and cornstarch. Set aside.
3. In a large bowl, whisk together the oats, flour, brown sugar, salt, cinnamon, and ginger. Stir in the melted butter until small clumps form. Reserve 1/2 cup of the crumb mixture. Press the remaining crumb mixture into the bottom of the prepped baking dish.
4. Evenly top the crust with the fruit mixture. Sprinkle the reserved crumb mixture over top the fruit layer.
5. Bake in the oven for 30-40 minutes, or until the topping is golden brown and fruit is bubbling. Remove from the oven and let cool. Chill in the fridge for slightly crisper bars. Cut into squares with a sharp knife. Store any leftovers in a covered container in the refrigerator.
(lightly adapted from this Smitten Kitchen recipe)
makes 8 large or 16 small bars
1 cup small-diced rhubarb
1 cup small-diced strawberries
1 tablespoon fresh lemon juice
1 tablespoon granulated sugar
1 teaspoon cornstarch
1 cup rolled oats3/4 cup unbleached all-purpose flour
1/2 cup light brown sugar
heaping 1/4 teaspoon fine sea salt
1/2 teaspoon ground cinnamon
1/8 teaspoon ground ginger
6 tablespoons unsalted butter, melted (and browned, if desired)
1. Preheat the oven to 350 degrees (375 degrees if using a metal dish). Line an 8x8-inch square baking dish with parchment paper. Set aside.
2. In a medium bowl, stir together the diced rhubarb, diced strawberries, lemon juice, sugar, and cornstarch. Set aside.
3. In a large bowl, whisk together the oats, flour, brown sugar, salt, cinnamon, and ginger. Stir in the melted butter until small clumps form. Reserve 1/2 cup of the crumb mixture. Press the remaining crumb mixture into the bottom of the prepped baking dish.
4. Evenly top the crust with the fruit mixture. Sprinkle the reserved crumb mixture over top the fruit layer.
5. Bake in the oven for 30-40 minutes, or until the topping is golden brown and fruit is bubbling. Remove from the oven and let cool. Chill in the fridge for slightly crisper bars. Cut into squares with a sharp knife. Store any leftovers in a covered container in the refrigerator.
(lightly adapted from this Smitten Kitchen recipe)
I’ve never had strawberry/rhubarb pie. I really need to give it a try! The crisp sounds amazing and easy to put together!
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