Strhubarby Crumbles

So you've skimmed the post, and you're already thinking to yourself, "But, John, isn't this a crisp?"  Go ahead.  Admit it.  Open that can of worms.  To be honest, one could write a fairly extensive expository piece on the variety of fruit desserts and fruit dessert names that exist.  Then, if you needed another writing sample for your portfolio, you could extend this with an argumentative piece on why certain names classify these desserts better.  If you want to be that person, start here.  If you'd rather pick a name and roll with it, then let's carry on.  I've chosen to dub these "crumbles" because, well, I've read that this is the British name for them (and whether it's Wimbledon, fish and chips, or a Pimm's Cup, I'm on board with all things British) and, truly, that stuff we're going to put on top looks all crumbly.

For me, this was my first attempt at using rhubarb.  I can't remember my mother or grandmother ever having it around, and my grandmother, in particular, cooked pies and canned jams of all varieties.  Nevertheless, strawberries are one of my favorite foods, and I've made quite a few fruit-based desserts, so this recipe didn't seem like a huge risk.

Recipe:  Strawberry Rhubarb Crumbles

First, we'll want to macerate our fruit to create a little syrup that will help flesh out our filling.  Okay, so technically it's not macerating, since that term tends to define softening fruit (or other things) in liquid, but the sugar we'll be sprinkling it with will draw out liquid in the fruit which will create a semi-maceration.  Hull and halve a pint of strawberries and chop 3/8# (6 oz.) of rhubarb into 1/2" slices.  Place the fruit in a saucepan and top with a mixture of 3/8 c. sugar, 1.25 tsp. cinnamon, and an optional pinch of nutmeg (I refrained and added a bit of pure vanilla extract instead - so, real maceration).  Reserve a mixture of 1/8 c. sugar and 1 Tbsp. instant Clearjel.  This should be well-combined.  Instant Clearjel is one of those products I learned about at culinary school that I keep in my pantry for fruit-based desserts.  It is a thickener that doesn't require heat, and it also prevents the filling from getting cloudy (as is the case with flour and other thickeners).  While it's not readily available in grocery stores, you can acquire a little bag from King Arthur Flour for a nominal fee, and, as you use so little at a time, it will probably last you a while.  You will add this to your fruit mixture once the sugar has pulled some of the liquid out.  Let the fruit macerate for about thirty minutes, then add the sugar and Clearjel mixture.  At this point, I turned a burner on medium and cooked down the fruit just a little (a few minutes tops) to get more of the juices going before I put them in the oven.
 

Filling ingredients

Chopped rhubarb

Halved strawberries

Macerating fruits

Sugar and Clearjel combined

While my fruit was macerating, I made the crumbly, streusel topping.  It was only after this was made that I bothered to turn the oven on, as I was fairly sure it didn't need the full thirty minutes to preheat.  In any event, you'll want it set to 375°F.  To make the streusel, I sifted and combined 1/2 c. of all-purpose flour, 1/2 c. of brown sugar, and 1/4 tsp. cinnamon in a bowl.  I then cut in 6 Tbsp. of cold butter using a pastry cutter.  You are welcome to use the rubbing method and do this by hand.  You'll want to end up with a mixture that resembles coarse crumbs.  I like to leave my butter bits slightly larger (more along the size of chickpeas than green peas) as one would for a flaky pie dough.  After the butter is cut in, mix in 2/3 c. of rolled oats.  Please note that this recipe makes far more streusel than you will need for these crumbles.  I did this purposefully because streusel freezes very well in plastic storage bags, and I didn't want to have to make more next time I made a pie.  You're welcome to cut down the recipe as needed or double it to make even more to freeze.

Streusel ingredients

The colder your butter, the better

See!  Crumble, people.  There's nothing crisp about this.

  

Streusel for freezing

Alright, so baking and assembly is as straightforward as the rest of this recipe.  I greased mini-Springform pans with a dab of butter, scooped some filling into them, and topped with the streusel.  For the record, I put too much filling in each one, forgetting that fruits like to bubble up with gusto, and fruit ended up dribbling over the sides of my pans.  I called them rustic and ate them anyway.  Bake these in the oven for 15-20 minutes until the streusel is golden and the filling is bubbling.  You'll probably want to put a piece of foil or a baking sheet on the rack beneath these in case they do decide to bubble over like mine did (hooray for my pizza stone catching the dribblings).  Once finished, let them cool briefly, and dig in!

Mini-Springforms ready to be greased

Oven companions

Finished product, after a rather enticing overflow

I'll be honest, I wish these had a slightly more overt rhubarb flavor, and I may adjust my recipe accordingly next time, but it provides a great, tart contrast to the sweetness of the strawberries.