Rhubarb Dessert Bars

If you can say that title five times fast, treat yourself to one of these delicious treats.


I'm now seeking out new options for rhubarb to satisfy T and I found these rhubarb bars which promised to be a new way to enjoy rhubarb. The majority of rhubarb recipes are for crumbles, pies and muffins, so I was excited to try something different.


These bars have a great shortbread base, layered with a soft, tart and sweet topping that is both attractive and delicious. I wouldn't be shy to serve these to company or to just have them on hand to enjoy. Hope you like these too.


Ingredients

• 2 cups flour
• 2/3 cup confectioners' sugar
• 1 cup butter, softened

• 2 cups white sugar
• 1 1/2 tsp salt
• 1/2 cup flour
• 4 eggs, beaten
• 4 1/2 cups chopped rhubarb

Directions 


Preheat oven to 350 degrees.


In a medium bowl, mix together two cups of flour, confectioners' sugar and butter until it forms a crumb-like mixture. Press into the bottom of a 9 x 13 inch baking dish and bake for 10 minutes.


While the crust is baking, whisk together white sugar, salt, flour and eggs in a large bowl. Stir in rhubarb to coat. 


Spread rhubarb mixture evenly over the baked crust.


Bake for another 45 minutes or until rhubarb is tender. 


Let cool for at least an hour for top mixture to become more solid.


Cut into squares to serve.




Recipe adapted from www.allrecipes.com


Print recipe for Rhubarb Dessert Bars

Streusel Rhubarb Loaf

After making strawberry-rhubarb pie, my husband has discovered that he loves cooked rhubarb. Always looking for new ingredients, I was happy to oblige and find something new to make. I found this recipe for rhubarb loaf and on www.allrecipes.com, it was getting rave reviews. 

I already had the buttermilk on hand for my recent buttermilk pancakes, so I gave this a whirl and it was worth it! It made two loaves, and I had every intention of giving one full loaf to my mom, but it didn't last long in our house and she only got a couple of slices. Sorry Mom, but hope you loved it as much as we did!

Ingredients

• 1 1/2 cups packed brown sugar
• 1/2 cup vegetable oil
• 1 egg
• 1 cup buttermilk
• 1 teaspoon vanilla extract
• 2 1/2 cups all-purpose flour
• 1 teaspoon baking soda
• 1 teaspoon salt
• 1 1/2 cups chopped fresh or sliced frozen rhubarb
• 1/2 cup chopped walnuts or pecans

Topping:

• 1/2 cup sugar
• 1/4 tsp ground cinnamon
• 1 tbsp cold butter

Directions

In a mixing bowl, combine brown sugar and oil. 

Add egg, mix well. 

Beat in buttermilk and vanilla. 

Combine the flour, baking soda and salt; stir into brown sugar mixture just until combined. Fold in the rhubarb and nuts. 

Pour into two greased 8-in. x 4-in. x 2-in. loaf pans.

For topping, in a bowl, combine sugar, cinnamon and butter until crumbly; sprinkle over batter. 

Bake at 350 degrees F for 60-65 minutes or until a toothpick inserted near the center comes out clean. 

Cool for 10 minutes before removing from pans to wire racks. Cut with a serrated knife.

Print recipe for Streusel Rhubarb Loaf

Recipe from www.allrecipes.com

Strawberry Rhubarb Pie

Rhubarb season is almost over so I wanted to try one of my favourites -- strawberry rhubarb pie. Once I overcame my fear of pie crust, making an actual pie was easy.

This was my first attempt at pie so it wouldn't have won any awards for appearance, but it certainly made up for that in taste. It was the perfect blend of tart rhubarb and sweet strawberries and it certainly didn't last long in our house! I speak from experience when I say there is nothing wrong with pie for breakfast...

I now have big plans for peach pie, apple pie, pumpkin pie, pecan pie... the possibilities are endless!

Ingredients

• 1 1/2 cups strawberries, cleaned and cut
• 2 1/2 cups rhubarb, chopped
• 1 cup sugar
• 5 tbsp flour
• 2 pastry crusts

Directions

In a 9" pie plate, insert/drape a rolled out pie crust. Cut off excess dough.

In a separate bowl, mix strawberries, rhubarb, sugar and flour. Stir until well combined.

Pour fruit mixture into bottom pie crust.

Moisten edges of bottom pie crust with water (using your fingers is fine), and drape over second pie crust on top. Using your first finger and thumb, pinch together bottom and top crusts. Cut off excess dough.

Using a paring knife, mark slits in top of pie crust, which is both decorative and functional.

Bake at 425 degrees for 15 minutes, then turn oven down to 350 degrees and bake for another 40-45 minutes.

For a fruit pie with lots of liquid, like strawberry-rhubarb, when you take it out of the oven, the liquid will be really thin, so you need to let it cool for three to four hours before serving so the mixture thickens up (hence the flour).

After a few hours of cooling, I put my pie back in the oven on the warm setting is it was warm when we ate it and it was delicious.

Rhubarb Crunch

Rhubarb used to grow in my aunt's backyard. She used to make the most delicious rhubarb pies, so now that rhubarb is in season (starting late April to early May in Canada), I thought I would make it as a dessert for a visit from my aunt and grandma.

This turned out pretty well, but the recipe below is with my recommended changes. It's a light dessert and the sweetness of the sugar (lots of sugar), is balanced well with the tartness or the rhubarb.

Ingredients

• 4 cups of chopped rhubarb
• 1 1/4 cups of flour
• 1 cup rolled oats
• 1 tsp cinnamon
• 1 1/4 cups brown sugar
• 1/2 cup melted butter

Sugar sauce:

• 1 cup sugar
• 2 tbsp cornstarch
• 1 cup cold water
• 1 tsp vanilla

Directions


Chop rhubarb and set aside

Mix together flour, oats, cinnamon, brown sugar and melted butter.

Press half into a buttered baking dish -- about 8.5 x 11"

Make the sugar sauce. Mix together the sugar, corn starch and cold water in a pan, stirring  until bubbly, clear and getting slightly thick -- do not let it get too thick. Whisk in the vanilla.

Pour on top of the rhubarb and coat. Pour the rhubarb into the baking dish overtop of the crumb crust.

Top with remaining crumb mixture.

Bake at 350 for 40 minutes until topping is brown and edges are bubbling slightly.

(a very happy customer!)

Download a printable version of Rhubarb Crunch

Recipe adapted from The Farm Chicks