Easy Strawberry Rhubarb Crumb Bars
There are a lot of reasons why the tiny little species tulips right outside my front door are some of my most favorite flowers ever.
There are a LOT of reasons, but an important one is that when they reach for the heavens with their cheery cherry pink and blue smiles, it's time for strawberries and rhubarb.
Which, if you've been around for a while, you know that I'm a sucker for all things strawberry and rhubarb. When I walked out the door earlier this week and saw those smiling tulips, I made it a point to acquire the best fruit and vegetable combination ever.
(Rhubarb is a vegetable. Weird, right? I just go with it.)
I immediately had it in my head that I wanted some sort of crumbly bar, but then I couldn't find a recipe that matched the combination that was in my head. I found a couple that were sort of OK, but they seemed more complicated than necessary. Thinking about how I wanted something simple and that was a guaranteed win led me over to Smitten Kitchen and BAM! I found what I wanted. Sort of.
I tossed the blueberries to the side, added some almond, and wound up with something amazing. Better than amazing, even.
These are strawberry rhubarb heaven.
Easy Strawberry Rhubarb Crumb Bars
(adapted from Smitten Kitchen)
1 cup white sugar
1 teaspoon baking powder
3 cups all-purpose flour
1/2 teaspoon salt
1 cup cold unsalted butter (the "cold" part is important)
1 egg
Zest and juice of one lemon
2 pound fresh strawberries, sliced
2 cups fresh rhubarb, sliced (hint: smaller stalks are easier to cut and less "stringy")
1 teaspoon almond extract
1/2 cup white sugar
5 teaspoons cornstarch
1 cup sliced almonds
1. Preheat oven to 375 degrees.
2. Grease a 9" x 13" glass pan.
3. In a large bowl, combine the one cup of sugar, baking powder, flour, and salt. Stir with a whisk until well combined.
4. Add the cold butter and egg.
5. Use a fork to cut the butter and egg into the flour mixture. When you get tired to trying to get the fork to do the trick, resort to using your hands. You want a crumbly mixture that doesn't have any large chunks of butter. Just keep squishing and you will win the battle. (I'm sure a food processor would do a great job of this, but I don't like food processors. I'm a rebel like that.)
6. Add the lemon zest. Stir it all up.
7. Smoosh half of the flour mixture into your 9" x 13" pan. If you are math challenged, half is about 2 1/2 cups of it. No need to be exact. Just get close.
8. Get out another large bowl. Put the 1/2 cup white sugar, almond extract, cornstarch, and lemon juice in there. Stir things up.
9. Add the strawberries and rhubarb then stir some more.
10. Spread the strawberry mixture over the crust in your 9" x 13" pan.
11. Add 1/2 cup of your sliced almonds to the remaining flour mixture you have sitting off to the side. Mix it all up.
12. Crumble the remaining flour mixture over top of the strawberries and rhubarb. There should be enough to completely hide the strawberries and their friends.
13. Sprinkle the remaining almonds over the top.
14. Bake at 375 degrees for about 50 minutes or until the top is very lightly browned.
15. Allow to cool before cutting.
16. Drown yourself in some strawberry rhubarb happiness. You've earned it.
Recipe
Reader Comments (3)
This looks fabulous! I've never worked with rhubarb. Is there a source in Pittsburgh that you recommend, or is it just as good at Giant Eagle as anywhere?
I So freakin want to eat this recipe right now! I planted rhubarb last year, and it seems to be struggling. I was REALLY looking forward to making some... but it's not to be... I guess I could go to the store and buy a few stalks.... But then I need to adapt your recipe for Gluten Free. Hmmm. A project! I will let you know if I succeed!
interesting...