Strawberry Rhubarb Crisp {Summertime Delight}

Pssst. Hey! I have something hush-hush I wanna tell you.

IT'S RHUBARB SEASON! {Cue the trumpets, or guns, or whatever gets your blood pumping in your part of the world}

Feels good to get that out there. It's not really hush-hush, I just want all the rhubarb in the world right now. To myself.

However, it would be very selfish of me not to share this yumminess with you. You better run out for your 'barb because it's a hot harvest item right now and you gotta get it while you still can! 

O! And I'm not just saying that these are yummy because I made them. I can see how you think I might be biased and all, and for the simple fact alone that I maaaaaaybe licked my ramekin clean {in the comforts of my own home -- do you really think I'm that much of an animal in public?}. Ok but for real though -- in the words of one crisp consumer, "They are happiness under an oatmeal blankie." If that doesn't sell ya, I don't know what will.

One thing I need to mention -- people feel the need to make rhubarb sweet. Like with sugar. Lots and lots of sugar. I really don't get it. I could maybe see the need for sugar if you made a rhubarb pie or something of the like and there's no other fruit in it. Nine times out of ten -- you pair your 'barb with berries. Fresh ones. 

Naturally, when fruit is cooked or baked, it gets all juicy and releases its own natural sugar and sweetness -- this is why you don't need a lot of extra "stuff." Sometimes "stuff" is necessary but for this recipe you need very little "stuff." O and the orange in this recipe? Takes this dish to another level, just sayin'.

Strawberry Rhubarb Crisp (makes 6 ramekins or an 8x8 square pan)

What You'll Need

Filling

• 2 C rhubarb, chopped (~4 to 5 stalks depending on their size)
• 1 C strawberries, capped and quartered
• 1 small pear
• 1 small fuji apple 
• 2/3 C sugar
• 2/3 C water
• 1 tsp vanilla
• 1tbsp + 1/4 tsp corn starch
• 1 navel orange (you'll need its juice and zest)

Topping (I did adapt this part from Kitchen Simplicity)

• 1/2 C flour
• 1/2 C brown sugar
• 1/2 C rolled oats
• 1/2 C walnuts, chopped
• 1 tsp cinnamon
• Pinch of salt
• 5 tbsp butter, room temp

How To Make It

• Preheat your oven to 350F.
• Chop all your fruit and add to a large mixing bowl.
• Zest your orange and set zest aside.
• In a small bowl, add your corn starch, juice from one orange, and 1/2 tsp of zest and stir to dissolve/combine.
• In a medium sauce pan, add your water and sugar and bring to a boil. Once boiling, remove from heat and add in your vanilla and corn starch mixture. Stir to combine. 
• Pour your sugar mixture over your fruit and stir, making sure all the fruit is coated. Add remaining orange zest (~1/2 to 3/4 tsp).
• Using a 1/3 C measure, scoop 1/3 C fruit into each ramekin (make sure minimal juice from the bottom of the bowl makes it into each ramekin). Once each ramekin is full, distribute remaining fruit amongst the ramekins. Now you should have juice/sugar left in your bowl. Using a 1/4 C measure, pour 1/4 C of remaining juice over each ramekin and evenly distribute any remaining liquid. 
• If you're using an 8x8 square pan, place fruit in pan and pour half of the liquid over the fruit into your pan.
• Now for the topping -- throw everything into a mixing bowl except the butter and mix to combine. Cut the butter into individual tablespoons and add to the dry ingredients. You can use a pastry blender or your hands to distribute the butter into the dry ingredients -- I used both the dough blender and my hands. 
• Using a 1/4 C measure, scoop topping onto each ramekin and evenly distribute any remaining topping amongst the ramekins. 
• Place completed ramekins on a baking sheet and pop in the oven for 35 minutes until edges are bubbling. 
• Serve with vanilla ice cream (Homestead Creamery for all you Richmonders) and fresh orange zest!

Have you ever made a rhubarb pie or crisp before? Did it call for a lot of sugar?

-Sue