This recipe is the result of a number of new discoveries for me:
1. I had never been to the Green City Market in Chicago until last weekend.
2. I had never made anything with rhubarb.
3. I didn’t know that there was such thing as pure maple sugar in granulated form.
We FINALLY trekked to Lincoln Park to experience the Green City Market last Saturday. It was all that I hoped it would be: fresh produce, baked goods, cheeses, meats, delicious food vendors, live folk music and food lovers, families and dogs sitting in the grass and enjoying it all. We returned home with 2 bunches of asparagus, a large bunch of rhubarb, fresh apricot raisin bread and our bellies filled with treats.
My mother used to make delicious rhubarb crisp so I decided to go that route with my first rhubarb experiment. As I was chopping the bright red stalks, a light bulb went off in my head. This might be the perfect use for the maple sugar I had acquired that I didn’t quite know what to do with. I mixed it with brown sugar, flour, butter, a pinch of cinnamon and some oats for texture. Eureka! It was awesome.
Since rhubarb is quite tart, I pressed some “crumble” into the bottom of the pan and sprinkled it on top to sandwich it between sweet goodness. We devoured this entire dish in nearly 24 hours. No need to keep experimenting with other rhubarb crisp recipes. This first hit was a home run.
Rhubarb Maple Crisp
Makes 4-6 servings
1/2 cup light brown sugar, firmly packed
1/2 cup maple sugar (if you don’t have this, do 1 full cup brown sugar)
1 cup flour
3/4 cup oats (I like it better with old fashioned, not quick cooking. Either will work)
1/2 cup melted butter
1/2 teaspoon cinnamon
4 cups sliced rhubarb
3/4 cup granulated sugar
2 tablespoons cornstarch
1 cup water
1/2 teaspoon vanilla
Combine brown sugar, maple sugar, flour, oats and cinnamon in a bowl. Stir with a whisk to combine all the dry ingredients. Slowly add the melted butter stirring to combine. Mix together until crumbly.
In a saucepan combine the water, granulated sugar, cornstarch and vanilla. Cook and stir until the mixture becomes transparent and has thickened.
Press about 1/2 of the crumble mixture into the bottom of a pie plate or 8 inch square pan. Top with sliced rhubarb. Pour the water and sugar mixture over the rhubarb. Sprinkle the rest of the crumble over the top. Bake in a 350 degree oven for 45-50 minutes or until it is bubbly and topping is slightly browned.
Serve warm with a scoop of vanilla ice cream or cold. It tastes great the next day!
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June 11th, 2009 at 12:12 pm
Looks like you have a natural talent for excelling when presented with new and unfamiliar opportunities!
June 12th, 2009 at 10:18 am
I am lucky enough to live a few blocks away from Green City. It really is amazing. I tried out rhubarb for the first time this year and absolutely loved it.
Your recipe looks lovely. I bet the maple really does make it good.
June 13th, 2009 at 9:33 am
I’m so glad you made it to Green City, Caroline! This crisp looks lovely. I especially like the “crumble sandwich” aspect.
June 13th, 2009 at 5:53 pm
I found this too large a recipe for a pie plate. I couldn’t use the last cup of rhubarb. Also, this was too sweet (maybe because I didn’t have enough rhubarb!)
June 15th, 2009 at 10:08 am
Thanks for your comment Joe. I think you really need a deep pie plate. And, mine was really full and then shrunk after cooking. Otherwise, try an 8 inch square. To reduce sweetness, I would reduce the sugar in the cornstarch mixture. Try cutting it in half. Or, use less of the crumble and save some to top any other fruit. Mmmm.
June 15th, 2009 at 10:06 pm
I’ve never made anything with rhubarb either, but now I’m definitely thinking about it! I lovee tart pies :)
June 16th, 2009 at 7:18 am
I love rhubarb and I love crisps. This looks delish!
June 17th, 2009 at 1:06 pm
Oh my god, this looks like heaven to me. I’ll bet it’s even better the next morning for breakfast! But I’m decadent like that. :-)
September 5th, 2009 at 10:18 am
Wonderful flavours, but didn’t like the crumble on the bottom. Next time will just use all the crumble for the top. Great recipe!
April 23rd, 2010 at 8:33 am
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June 6th, 2010 at 6:27 pm
[...] Whipped the Blog. Categories: Family Recipe, Maple Recipes, Maple Sugar posted on: 06/06/10 Be the first to [...]
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