A couple of years ago, around this time of year, we had some of our dear friends over for am impromptu dinner in the backyard. I didn’t have anything planned, so while dinner cooked, I ran out to our prolific rhubarb patch, picked a bunch and sliced and tossed it together with a pint of raspberries I had tucked in the fridge. I pinched together some oats, butter, flour and walnuts—in no particular order, abiding by my grandmother’s pinch of this and dash of that rule (salt, sugar) until it felt just right.
On any given day post Memorial Day, I have ice cream in the freezer, so after this mystery crumble came to from the oven, oozy and fragrant, I scooped a whole pint of vanilla on top and served it to the crew straight from the tin, with a handful of spoons. It was gone in seconds.
“Please tell me you wrote down how you made this,” Rebecca said, pleading. All heads nodded.
“No,” I stammered. “But I’m certain I can figure it out.”
Famous last words. When I later decided I wanted to include this recipe in my new book, EVERY DAY IS SATURDAY, it took me an absurd amount of tries to get this simple sweet just right again. It made no sense—crumbles are the oldest trick in the summer-fruit book, but for several takes, the nuts were too forward or the filling too sweet or the crumble too soggy. I wanted that just right mix I’d struck upon by accident. It turns out reverse engineering a casual summer bake is harder than it looks.
I almost gave up. Almost. But we have a motto in my family: We don’t quit . I didn’t quit this simple crumble until I got it just right—right enough to make it into the book; right enough to share here with you. It’s a keeper. xx
RECIPE BELOW
RASPBERRY RHUBARB CRUMBLE
Reprinted from EVERY DAY IS SATURDAY with permission by Chronicle Books
In a nutshell, my childhood summers were Big Wheels and mosquito bites, white-trimmed shorts riding high above skinned knees, and tender, marshmallow-studded rhubarb cake. We lived for the night’s she send us out to the rhubarb patch to pick a stalk each to bring back to her in the kitchen. We knew exactly what came next.
My mom’s beloved cake is hard to top—but the essence of childhood is truly present in this stripped-down summer dessert: tender and tart, crumbly and just a tiny touch sweet. Don’t skip the generous scoops of ice cream right on top. Check all formalities for the night: pass the spoons and dig straight in.
TOPPING
1 cup (140 g) all-purpose flour or (155 g) gluten-free flour
1 cup (100 g) rolled oats
1⁄3 cup (65 g) sugar, plus more for sprinkling
½ tsp fine sea salt
½ cup (1 stick/112 g) unsalted butter, melted
¼ cup (about 30 g) walnuts, almonds, sunflower seeds, or a mixture, roughly chopped
FILLING
5 stalks rhubarb, sliced (about 4 cups/350 g)
3 cups (360 g) raspberries
1⁄3 cup (65 g) sugar
3 Tbsp cornstarch
Ice cream, for serving
Cold cream or half-and-half, for serving
Preheat the oven to 375°F (190°C).
TO MAKE THE TOPPING: Combine the flour, oats, sugar, and salt in a bowl and stir together. Toss the melted butter into the flour, creating a mixture that resembles coarse bread crumbs. Add half of the nuts and pinch together to make a tight dough.
TO MAKE THE FILLING: Combine the rhubarb, raspberries, sugar, and cornstarch in a bowl and toss to combine. Transfer to a 2-qt (2-L) round or oval casserole dish or deep-dish pie plate. Top with the crumble topping, letting a bit of the fruit peek out the sides. Sprinkle with the remaining nuts and bake until golden and bubbling, 30 to 40 minutes. Serve warm, with ice cream scooped right onto the top, a drizzle of fresh cold cream, and a stack of spoons.
GET AHEAD
The topping can be made into clumps, and refrigerated or frozen for up to 1 week. Make the filling, assemble, and bake as instructed.
GOOD TO KNOW
This is a smallish cobbler, to be eaten from the dish with an intimate group, but it doubles well for a crowd. Bake it in a 9 by 13 inch (23 by 33 cm) pan.
PREP TIME: 15 MINUTES
TOTAL TIME: 1 HOUR 20 MINUTES
SERVES 6
**This is not a sponsored post. All opinions are my own.** images belong to Sarah Copeland // Chronicle Books and should not be pinned or posted without attribution. **
photos // GENTL + HYERS
styling // SARAH COPELAND