Served with vanilla ice cream, this strawberry rhubarb crumble has to be the perfect summer dessert. This recipe has less added sugar.
Pair rhubarb with strawberries to sweeten it naturally
Rhubarb, which is actually a vegetable rather than a fruit, can be a little on the tart side, and this puts off many people – especially small children.
Strawberries are the perfect fruit to serve with rhubarb as their natural sweetness helps the rhubarb to taste less tart without the need to add tons of sugar.
Do you need sugar in your crumble topping?
Crumble toppings usually include a lot of sugar. I played around for ages trying to perfect a sugar free crumble topping but I’ve come to the conclusion that it does need a little sugar. You can add a little maple syrup or honey if you want to use unrefined sugar, but my preference is to add 2 tbsp caster sugar, which is still considerably less than is usually added. The sweetness of the strawberries more than makes up for it.
Crumbles are a delicious dessert – all year round
We tend to eat crumbles quite a bit. They’ve always been one of my favourite desserts – or puddings as my mum would say – and we often had them while I was growing up. My dad grew a lot of fruit and veg at home and we had rhubarb, gooseberry and berry crumbles a lot. Dad often used to eat these with custard AND ice cream! I also remember apple crumble featuring all through the year, but as we didn’t have an apple tree I think the apples probably came from my Grandad, who was a greengrocer.
When my son stopped eating any fruit at the age of 18 months I found that a crumble was one of the ways that I could get him to eat fruit.
We had a blackberry and apple crumble the other day and I watched him pick up a whole blackberry on his spoon, consider it thoughtfully and then eat it. He’s now seven and hasn’t eaten any raw fruit for years. I don’t see this changing – until he decides to change it. So to see him enjoying a crumble in the full knowledge of what he is eating makes me very glad! Especially if it doesn’t contain too much added sugar.
What ingredients do you need to make strawberry and rhubarb crumble?
To make a strawberry and rhubarb crumble you’ll need the following ingredients:
- 400g rhubarb
- 400g strawberries
- 75g plain flour
- 75g butter or dairy free spread
- 75g oats
- 75g chopped nuts eg almonds
- 2 tbsp maple syrup or caster sugar
How to make the crumble topping
You can either make your crumble topping by hand or in a food processor.
The first step is to rub the butter, or vegan equivalent, together with the flour until you have the consistency of breadcrumbs.
Next you stir through the oats, nuts and sugar.
Finally, pour it over your fruit and bake.
See – it’s easy isn’t it?
Other vegetarian rhubarb recipes
- strawberry and rhubarb oven-baked risotto
- spiced rhubarb chutney
- healthy rhubarb bars
- rhubarb ice lollies
- earl grey and rhubarb loaf cake
- refined sugar free rhubarb compote.
Pin strawberry rhubarb crumble for later
How to make strawberry rhubarb crumble:
Strawberry rhubarb crumble
Ingredients
- 400 g rhubarb cut into rounds
- 200 g strawberries hulled and chopped if large
For the crumble topping
- 75 g dairy free spread or butter
- 75 g plain flour white or wholemeal
- 75 g oats
- 75 g chopped nuts I used almonds
- 2 tbsp of maple syrup or caster sugar
Instructions
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Pre-heat the oven to 180°C (fan)/200°C/gas mark 6.
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Place the rhubarb and strawberries in a lightly greased oven proof dish.
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Rub together the butter and flour with your fingertips, or in a food processor, until you have the texture of breadcrumbs.
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Stir though the oats, nuts and maple syrup or sugar.
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Pour over the top of the fruit and bake in the oven for 30-40 minutes until the fruit is soft and the topping is crisp.
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Serve with cream, ice cream or custard.
Gorgeous! I absolutely love crumbles too Mandy, they just seem so comforting. Mum used to make them for us too when we were children, and we usually had them with custard. Never heard of having custard & ice cream with it, that really does sound like the best of both worlds.
It was lovely to read that your son eats the fruit in his crumble, it must have been lovely to watch him inspect the blackberry and then actually eat it.
Angela x
I love how puddings bring back childhood memories Angela. Your mum sounds like she’s a fantastic cook! And you’re right. I was fully expecting him to reject the blackberry and I had a silent little internal celebration when he ate it!
Oh this looks sooooo good Mandy! I absolutely love crumbles, and they’re a great way to use up a glut of fruit! Particularly with the weather we’re currently experiencing (hello summer, where are you?!) you can’t beat crumble for the comfort factor! Natx #cookblogshare
Thanks so much Nat! I am a total crumble addict and would happily eat them daily. And you are so right about summer – come back please!
I LOVE crumble…but annoyingly my kids, who will happily eat almost any vegetable, don’t like crumble!!! Total madness. I like how you’ve made this low sugar…I do that too, but I tend to use maple syrup or honey…but it does make for a very crumbly crumble (no bad thing IMHO!!) It’s amazing how little sugar you can get away with using, isn’t it? And I love that idea of pairing strawberry and rhubarb for natural sweetness – yum! Thanks for linking it up with #CookBlogShare 😀 Eb x
How can they not like crumble?! I just don’t get it. Thanks so much x