Handmade by Hoffy: It's Rhubarb Time...

I tried a new recipe, Rhubarb Crumb Bars from Martha Stewart. They were delicious. This is a very versatile recipe. You can substitute other fruits for the rhubarb such as raspberries, strawberries, blue berries, apples or whatever. I tried making them with some frozen raspberries I had left over from last year and they turned out just as delicious...

This Post Contains the Following Recipes:

Rhubarb Crumb Bars/Cake

Rhubarb Meringue Pie

Pie Crust

What You Will Need to Make Rhubarb Crumb (Bars or Cake)?

What you will need (for the cake):

rhubarb
brown sugar
flour
baking powder
salt
butter
confectioner's sugar
eggs
vanilla

What you will need for the streusel topping:

butter
flour
light brown sugar
salt

You most likely have all the ingredients in your pantry or cupboard, except the rhubarb. A quick, easy, inexpensive treat for the family now that rhubarb is ready to be picked.

Let's Make Rhubarb Crumb Cake or Bars...

First we'll make the streusel topping. Mix the melted butter, flour, light brown sugar and salt. The mixture will be a little loose. Use a fork to mix and leave some big junks in the mix. Put in refrigerator until you are ready to put on the crumb cake and rhubarb. Next, mix the rhubarb, brown sugar, and 1/4 cup of the flour together and set aside. This will be put on the crumb cake batter and then you will put the streusel topping on top of the rhubarb.

Now you will make the crumb cake batter. Ina seperate bowl mix the 3/4 cup of flour, baking powder and salt and set aside. In your mixer place the the confectioner's sugar and butter and beat until light and fluffy.

Beat in eggs, one at a time. Turn the mixer to low and beat in the vanilla and then beat in the flour mixture 1/3 at a time until completely mixed.

Spread batter in the prepared baking dish. The batter will be quite thick. Use a spatula or spoon to spread to the edges. Top with the rhubarb mixture.

Top the rhubarb mixture with the streusel mixture and bake at 350℉ for 45 to 50 minutes. Check after 40 minutes with a toothpick. My oven runs hot and it was done after 40 minutes. When it comes out of the oven let it rest until cool. If you are serving as a dessert, wait a few minutes and add a scoop of ice cream or some whipped topping. It's really good served this way. If you choose you can let them cool and then eat them as bars.

These bars are so good. The crumb cake bottom has a fine grain. The rhubarb is not tart and the streusel topping with it's crunch is delicious. Add that scoop of ice cream or some whipped topping which adds another layer of yumminess!!!!

Rhubarb Crumb Cake/Bars Recipe...

Ingredients:

For the streusel

6 T. unsalted butter, melted, plus room-temperature butter for pan
1 cup all-purpose flour, (spooned and leveled), plus more for pan
1/2 cup packed light-brown sugar
1/4 tsp. salt

For the cake

1/2 lb. rhubarb, cut into 1/2-inch pieces
1 T. light-brown sugar
1 cup all-purpose flour, (spooned and leveled)
1/2 tsp. baking powder
1/4 tsp. salt
1/2 cup (1 stick) unsalted butter, room temperature
1 cup confectioners' sugar
2 large eggs
1/2 tsp. pure vanilla extract

Directions:

Preheat oven to 350℉. Butter an 8-inch square baking pan. Line with parchment paper, leaving a 2-inch overhang on two sides. Butter and flour parchment and pan, tapping out excess flour.
Make streusel: Whisk together butter, brown sugar, and salt. Add flour and mix with a fork until large crumbs form. Refrigerate until ready to use.
Make cake: In a medium bowl, combine rhubarb, brown sugar, and 1/4 cup flour. In another medium bowl, whisk 3/4 cup flour, baking powder, and salt. In a large bowl, using an electric mixer, beat butter and confectioners' sugar until light and fluffy; beat in eggs, one at a time. With mixer on low, beat in vanilla, then flour mixture. Spread batter in prepared pan. Sprinkle with rhubarb and top with streusel.
Bake cake until golden and a toothpick inserted in center comes out with moist crumbs attached, 45 to 50 minutes. Let cool completely in pan. Using paper overhang, lift cake from pan. Cut into 16 bars.

Rhubarb Meringue Pie...

I also tried another recipe from Martha Stewart called Rhubarb Meringue Pie. I changed the recipe a bit. This was also a big hit! I used a great pie crust recipe from the Stay At Home Chef and made the rhubarb juice from a recipe I found on Cooks.com. If you get a chance to try either one of these recipes I think you will be pleasantly surprised. Before you start making the pie, you will need to make some unsweetened rhubarb juice...

What you will need for the Rhubarb Meringue Pie:

rhubarb
lemon juice
sugar
cornstarch
salt
egg yolks
egg whites (for meringue)
butter

Rhubarb Meringue Pie Recipe

Ingredients (for rhubarb juice)

1 lb. rhubarb
1 qt. water
Juice from 1 lemon

Cut rhubarb in 1 inch pieces. Cook until soft. Strain. Add lemon juice. Let cool.

Pie filling:

Ingredients:

2 cups rhubarb juice
1 3/4 cups sugar
1/4 cup cornstarch
Coarse salt
3 large egg yolks
plus 4 large egg whites (for meringue)
2 T. unsalted butter

Directions:

Whisk together 1 cup sugar, the cornstarch, and 1/2 tsp. salt. Whisk in juice, bring to a boil in a medium saucepan, whisking and cook for 1 minute.

Place yolks in a bowl and whisk; gradually whisk in the hot mixture a little at a time. This is called tempering. If you pour the hot mixture into the eggs all at once they will curdle.
Once you have added about half of the mixture to the egg yolks pour it all back into the pan. Cook over medium heat, whisking, until thick about 1 minute.
Whisk in butter and pour into cooled pie crust.
Refrigerate until set, at least 4 hours or overnight.

The Best Pie Crust...

I've tried many pie crust recipes in my life and the ones that I share on this website have been tried and true. Jenny's Pie Crust from Jenny Can Cook is easy and good, but I found another recipe that is my go to pie crust recipe now. It's delicious and flaky the way I like pie crusts. The dough is easy to work with and turns out every time.

Pie Crust Ingredients: (This recipe makes 2 pie crust shells)

2 1/2 cups all purpose flour
2 T. sugar
1 tsp. salt
3/4 C. butter, cold
1/2 C. vegetable shortening-cold (I think Crisco is the best)
1/4 C. ice water
1/4 C. vodka chilled - you can substitute 1/2 C. cold water for 1/4 C. water and 1/4 C. vodka)

Directions for Pie Crust:

In a large bowl, stir together flour, sugar and salt
Get out your food processor first. If you don't have one, you can use a bowl and a fork to mix up the cut up butter and shortening and work until it's like coarse meal or sand and it will hold together if squeezed in your hand. Otherwise, pour the flour into your food processor, place the cut up butter and shortening into the flour and pulse until you get the same affect as mixing in a bowl.
Mix cold water and chilled vodka together. Slowly pour into the flour mixture in the food processor, 1 tablespoon at a time. Do not overwork.
Pour the dough mixture onto some plastic wrap. Divide in two and place half on another piece of plastic wrap.
Form into 2 disks and wrap tightly in the plastic wrap. Place in the refrigerator for at least a half hour, but it's at it's best if you keep it in the refrigerator for one hour.
Remove from refrigerator and unwrap chilled dough and transfer to a lightly floured surface. Use a rolling pin to roll out into a large 12 inch circle, rolling from the center each time to keep the thickness even.
Gently transfer crust to an ungreased pie plate, allowing the crust to hang over the edges of the pie plate. Roll and pinch or crimp the edges of your crust. Use a fork to prick holes into the bottom of the crust if you are using the crust for pies that don't require baking. If it is being used for unbaked pies, place a piece of parchment paper on top of the docked crust and place pie weights or dried, uncooked beans on top of the parchment paper.
Bake in a 400℉ for 12-15 minutes or until the crust is lightly browned.
If you are making a pie, such a fruit pie, do not dock. Repeat above directions until you reach the docking part. For the above recipe you will be baking the crust using the docking method.

Thank you to "The Stay At Home Chef" for this great pie crust recipe!

Meringue:

Preheat broiler with rack about 6 inches from heat source.
Heat whites and remaining 3/4 cup sugar in a double boiler or a heatproof bowl set over a pan of simmering water, whisking, until sugar dissolves and mixture is hot (160 degrees), about 2 minutes.
Transfer to the bowl of a mixer. Whisk on high speed until medium peaks form. Dollop meringue onto pie. Pop in oven and broil until browned, about 1 minute.

One Final Thought...

So what are your thoughts on rhubarb? I love when June rolls around and it's time to make some tangy rhubarb treats. I'm sure everyone remembers their childhood summers...with fresh cut rhubarb dipped in sugar. What a treat!

These two recipes were a lucky find. Mixing and matching ingredients to make two great desserts. You can also freeze rhubarb so you can have that summer taste all year round. I hope you have a chance to make one or the other or both. I think you will agree these are keepers!