Rhubarb Crumble — Joseph Henry Limited

Serves 2

A classic crumble is not difficult to whip up. I love this one because rhubarb is not only sweet, but deliciously acidic. I threw in a handful of blueberries because I had them in the fridge, but they are not essential to the overall flavour of this recipe. I added chopped walnuts to the crumble, but pecans could work just as well. (If you have a nut allergy you can omit nuts completely.) Depending on the size of the dish you use, you may not use all your crumb mixture, but be mindful of the ratio (crumb- to-fruit), because texture is essential.

250g fresh rhubarb
55g caster sugar
1 TB ruby port
handful blueberries
75g plain flour
45g unsalted butter, chilled
25g demerara sugar
15g walnuts, chopped
120g whipping cream
2 TB icing sugar

Preheat the oven to 200°C.

Use a sharp knife to cut the rhubarb into (3cm) batons. Place into a pan along with the sugar and the port and cook over a low heat until the rhubarb has softened, approximately 15-18 minutes, stirring occasionally. Remove from the heat and stir in the blueberries. Transfer the mixture into a small pie dish (or divide between two large ramekins).

In the meantime, sift the flour into a bowl. Dice the cold butter into small pieces using a sharp knife and add to the flour. Use clean fingertips to rub the mixture well for several minutes until it resembles coarse breadcrumbs. Add the demerara sugar and the chopped nuts and stir well to combine. Top the rhubarb mix with this crumb, then place in the oven for 25-30 minutes or until the crumb on top is golden. (It helps to place the dish(es) over a tray to be safe, as the rhubarb tends to bubble over.)

Serve the dessert with sweet whipped cream, which can be made by simply whipping up the cream and the icing sugar to soft peaks.