Rhubarb Makes the BEST Crumble Bar!
It’s officially rhubarb season, and the American Institute for Cancer Research (AICR) has a lot to say about this flavorful, yet often under-appreciated vegetable. Though not common in most people’s diets, abundant studies show this tart plant offer cancer-preventive properties.
AICR says, “Never eat the leaf (aka blade). Only the stalk is the edible part of the rhubarb plant and it contains anthocyanins, a type of flavonoid found in foods such as berries, red onions, black beans, red grapes and black plums. Their protection comes from their role in cancer-preventive cell signaling. Anthocyanins have demonstrated protective effects on blood vessels and blood pressure.
“It’s also a great source of vitamin K1, which is important for blood clotting and bone health. A half cup of cooked rhubarb provides more than one-third of the recommended dietary intake of vitamin K1, along with two grams of fiber (which helps prevent colorectal cancer), some calcium and vitamin C.”
Many varieties of rhubarb have stalks that are actually more green than red. But this has no bearing on the flavor. ANY shade of rhubarb is tart. There are those that say that the redder rhubarb is sweeter and more tender. This hasn’t been scientifically proven, so you be the judge. It is true, though, that the redder variety tends to have a bit more anthocyanins. But the fact is, either shade is loaded with health benefits.
Rhubarb is commonly eaten in sweet desserts — most famously known for combining with strawberries for pie and cobbler — to counterbalance its strong tartness, but don’t be afraid to get creative. Try cooking down chopped rhubarb with a little lemon juice and sugar into a compote to top plain yogurt, oatmeal or goat cheese.
Or, bake it into whole-grain muffins in place of another fruit and add a little ginger or cinnamon. For a savory option, chop and add rhubarb to diced red onion, a splash of balsamic vinegar and a little mustard to create a zesty sauce for your favorite fish.
And for a refreshing drink, you can combine pureed cooked rhubarb with orange juice and raw honey to make vitamin-packed smoothie.
But of all the ways I’ve used rhubarb, a crumble bar is one of our very favorites. We like this recipe by Eileen Gray of www.baking-sense.com. She’s all about the art and science of baking, and if that’s your interest as well, then this sight is for you! These are divine.
FILLING
24 ounces rhubarb
3/4 cup sugar
1/4 teaspoon salt
1 teaspoon vanilla extract
DOUGH
2 cups all-purpose flour
2 cups old-fashioned rolled oats
1/2 teaspoon baking soda
1/2 teaspoon salt
1/2 teaspoon cinnamon
1 cup brown sugar
1/2 cup sugar
1 teaspoon vanilla extract
1 1/2 cups unsalted butter sliced
Directions:
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AICR says, “Never eat the leaf (aka blade). Only the stalk is the edible part of the rhubarb plant and it contains anthocyanins, a type of flavonoid found in foods such as berries, red onions, black beans, red grapes and black plums. Their protection comes from their role in cancer-preventive cell signaling. Anthocyanins have demonstrated protective effects on blood vessels and blood pressure.
“It’s also a great source of vitamin K1, which is important for blood clotting and bone health. A half cup of cooked rhubarb provides more than one-third of the recommended dietary intake of vitamin K1, along with two grams of fiber (which helps prevent colorectal cancer), some calcium and vitamin C.”
Many varieties of rhubarb have stalks that are actually more green than red. But this has no bearing on the flavor. ANY shade of rhubarb is tart. There are those that say that the redder rhubarb is sweeter and more tender. This hasn’t been scientifically proven, so you be the judge. It is true, though, that the redder variety tends to have a bit more anthocyanins. But the fact is, either shade is loaded with health benefits.
Rhubarb is commonly eaten in sweet desserts — most famously known for combining with strawberries for pie and cobbler — to counterbalance its strong tartness, but don’t be afraid to get creative. Try cooking down chopped rhubarb with a little lemon juice and sugar into a compote to top plain yogurt, oatmeal or goat cheese.
Or, bake it into whole-grain muffins in place of another fruit and add a little ginger or cinnamon. For a savory option, chop and add rhubarb to diced red onion, a splash of balsamic vinegar and a little mustard to create a zesty sauce for your favorite fish.
And for a refreshing drink, you can combine pureed cooked rhubarb with orange juice and raw honey to make vitamin-packed smoothie.
But of all the ways I’ve used rhubarb, a crumble bar is one of our very favorites. We like this recipe by Eileen Gray of www.baking-sense.com. She’s all about the art and science of baking, and if that’s your interest as well, then this sight is for you! These are divine.
Rhubarb Crumble Bars
Ingredients:
FILLING
24 ounces rhubarb
3/4 cup sugar
1/4 teaspoon salt
1 teaspoon vanilla extract
DOUGH
2 cups all-purpose flour
2 cups old-fashioned rolled oats
1/2 teaspoon baking soda
1/2 teaspoon salt
1/2 teaspoon cinnamon
1 cup brown sugar
1/2 cup sugar
1 teaspoon vanilla extract
1 1/2 cups unsalted butter sliced
Directions:
MAKE THE FILLING
Slice the rhubarb into ½" thick slices and toss with 6 oz sugar and ¼ teaspoon table salt in a large saucepan. Cover the pan and set the rhubarb aside for 30 minutes to 1 hour to macerate.
Cook the rhubarb over medium heat until boiling. Reduce heat and simmer 5-10 minutes until most of the rhubarb is tender and it’s beginning to thicken. You’ll have about 3 cups of rhubarb filling.
Transfer to rhubarb to a bowl, stir in 1 teaspoon vanilla extract and cool to room temperature.
MAKE THE DOUGH
Preheat the oven to 350 °F. Generously butter a 13" x 9" pan. Line the pan with parchment paper for easier removal of the bars (optional).
Combine 10 oz all purpose flour, 6 ½ oz old fashioned rolled oats, ½ teaspoon baking soda, ½ teaspoon salt, ½ teaspoon cinnamon, 8 oz brown sugar, 4 oz granulated sugar1 teaspoon vanilla extract in a large mixing bowl. Mix to combine the ingredients.
Toss in 12 oz unsalted butter and mix with your fingers until the butter bits are no larger than a pea and the dough clumps together when squeezed.
Reserve 1/3 of the dough for the topping. Sprinkle the remaining 2/3 of the dough into the pan and and press into an even layer. Bake 10 minutes until set and just beginning to brown.
Spread the rhubarb filling over the crust and crumble the remaining dough over the filling. Bake until golden brown, about 20-25 minutes
Cool completely and cut into bars.
Slice the rhubarb into ½" thick slices and toss with 6 oz sugar and ¼ teaspoon table salt in a large saucepan. Cover the pan and set the rhubarb aside for 30 minutes to 1 hour to macerate.
Cook the rhubarb over medium heat until boiling. Reduce heat and simmer 5-10 minutes until most of the rhubarb is tender and it’s beginning to thicken. You’ll have about 3 cups of rhubarb filling.
Transfer to rhubarb to a bowl, stir in 1 teaspoon vanilla extract and cool to room temperature.
MAKE THE DOUGH
Preheat the oven to 350 °F. Generously butter a 13" x 9" pan. Line the pan with parchment paper for easier removal of the bars (optional).
Combine 10 oz all purpose flour, 6 ½ oz old fashioned rolled oats, ½ teaspoon baking soda, ½ teaspoon salt, ½ teaspoon cinnamon, 8 oz brown sugar, 4 oz granulated sugar1 teaspoon vanilla extract in a large mixing bowl. Mix to combine the ingredients.
Toss in 12 oz unsalted butter and mix with your fingers until the butter bits are no larger than a pea and the dough clumps together when squeezed.
Reserve 1/3 of the dough for the topping. Sprinkle the remaining 2/3 of the dough into the pan and and press into an even layer. Bake 10 minutes until set and just beginning to brown.
Spread the rhubarb filling over the crust and crumble the remaining dough over the filling. Bake until golden brown, about 20-25 minutes
Cool completely and cut into bars.
Recipe formatted with the Cook'n Recipe Software from DVO Enterprises.
Alice Osborne
Weekly Newsletter Contributor since 2006
Email the author! alice@dvo.com
Sources:
- www.purdue.edu/hla/sites/yardandgarden/its-rhubarb-time
- www.growjoy.com
- www.simplyrecipes.com
- www.takingthelongwayhome.com
- www.baking-sense.com
