Winter is not my favourite time of year. Its cold, wet and dark and it sends us all into hibernation. And whilst staying in most nights is not such a bad thing, in this economy, I absolutely prefer warm weather, sunshine, clear skies and walks to the park.
I do enjoy the winter warming foods though, and this rhubarb blueberry crumble is one of those quintessential desserts that warms the soul on a cold night. The tangy and fruity, but slightly bitter, rhubarb is soft and the burst blueberries dotted around it makes a colourful display of cooked fruit. Although rhubarb is technically a vegetable, I love a plant that can play both sides, sweet and savoury.
This rhubarb blueberry crumble is served with a dollop of zesty lemon mascarpone cream cheese, this dessert is very easy to eat, you have been warned! But I encourage you to share it with family and friends, they'll love it too!
Rhubarb is in season from February to May in Victoria, but you'll often find it still available in June and July. Enjoy this dessert during Autumn and Winter.
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Ingredients
- rhubarb - I love that rhubarb is a bit tangy and tart, it pairs well with sweet blueberries and crunchy crumble
- blueberries - frozen blueberries is my preference for this recipe, but fresh blueberries are great too, they're likely to retain they're shape better and therefore retain their water content
- rolled oats - adding a little texture to the crumble, rolled oats are an easy addition to this dessert
- lemons - mascarpone is delicious, but for dessert I want to brighten up the plate and what better than lemons to do just that!
See recipe card for quantities.
Instructions
- Step 1: Cook the rhubarb down in some butter
- Step 2: Add blueberries, sugar, water and vanilla extract
- Step 3: Make the crumble in a medium mixing bowl
- Step 4: After scooping the cooked fruit into a baking dish, cover with the crumble then bake at 180 degrees for approximately 25 minutes
Substitutions and Variations
I love this recipe as is, but there are a few changes you can make to better suit your needs and what you have in the kitchen;
- Berries - instead of blueberries, use strawberries or mixed berries. If using raspberries, add a little extra sugar, as they are tart like the rhubarb
- Sweetener - if you don't have caster sugar, honey or maple syrup can be used in its place. Even raw sugar would be a great alternative, it just needs a little extra time to dissolve
- Gluten free - use gluten free flour at a 1:1 ratio and replace the rolled oats for specifically marked gluten free rolled oats (processed without being contaminated by gluten)
- Cream or ice cream - mascarpone isn't difficult to find, but if you don't like it or have it available, a great alternative is cream fraiche. Mixing in the lemon will loosed the consistency of the cream fraiche, but the flavour is great. Or, a scoop of vanilla ice cream will work perfectly! In any case, you simply must serve something creamy with a fruit crumble!
Equipment
Stoneware can make such a huge difference to how your dishes look when served. I love an oval or round shape, but any square one will do. Here is one that's similar to what I've used.
Storage
Store any leftover rhubarb blueberry crumble in an airtight container in the fridge for up to 2 days. Reheat in an oven proof dish until the leftovers are warmed through.
The lemon mascarpone can be stored in an airtight container and kept in the fridge for up to 3 days.
Not suitable to freeze.
Top Tip
You can make this ahead of time, just keep the fruit and the crumble in separate dishes and refrigerate overnight. 1.5 hours before serving, take the dishes out of the fridge, allow to come to room temperature, then scatter the crumble over the fruit and bake in the oven until the crumble is golden and crispy.
Related
Looking for other recipes like this? Try these:
Pairing
These are my favourite drinks to serve with rhubarb and blueberry crumble:
Rhubarb Blueberry Crumble, with Lemon Mascarpone
Ingredients
Method
- Preheat the oven to 180℃. In a large pot, melt 20g butter, add the chopped rhubarb and cook it down on a low heat for about 10-12 minutes, or until the rhubarb begins to soften.
- Add the blueberries, water, 4 tablespoon caster sugar, and vanilla extract and cook down on low heat until it starts to simmer and the mixture starts to thicken, about 15-20 minutes. Then remove from the heat.
- In a medium size mixing bowl, place the flour, 3 tablespoon caster sugar, cinnamon and rolled oats and cubed butter and rub the butter into the dry ingredient mixture.
- Gently pour the cooked fruit into a baking dish, then scatter the crumble over the top. Bake in the oven for 20-25 minutes, or until the crumble is golden brown and the fruit is bubbling on the sides. Allow to cool slightly before serving with lemon mascarpone. Enjoy!
- Whilst the crumble is baking, in a medium mixing bowl, combine the mascarpone, caster sugar, lemon juice and zest and mix well. Cover and refrigerate until serving.
Let me know if you have tried this recipe