Easy Strawberry Rhubarb Crumble Recipe

A good crumble strikes a perfect balance between sweet flavor and fruity taste. This Strawberry-Rhubarb Crumble with a Pecan Crumble Topping has just the right amount of both. The recipe is also flexible, so you can use any fruit that happens to be in season. A pecan crumble topping tastes delicious with any fruit or fruit combination. On a summer afternoon, a sweet fruity treat hits the spot perfectly. The wonderful thing about this dessert is that it is served in ramekins that are the perfect size and are easy to eat. These mini crumble desserts have a lightly browned, crunchy topping and a sweet fruit filling.

Serves6

Easy

Ingredients

For the Filling:
3 cups strawberries, hulled and halved
3 cups sliced rhubarb (34-inch thick slices. Cut very wide stalks in half, lengthwise before slicing)
3/4 cup packed brown sugar
1 teaspoon ground cinnamon
1 tablespoon cornstarch
For the Topping:
1 cup unbleached, white all-purpose flour
1 cup chopped pecans
1/2 cup sugar
1/4 teaspoon salt
1/3 cup vegetable oil

Instructions

Preheat the oven to 400F.
In a mixing bowl, toss the strawberries and rhubarb with the brown sugar, cinnamon, and cornstarch. Set aside while you make the crumble topping.
In the bowl of a food processor, whirl the flour, pecans, sugar, and salt until crumbly. Place the mixture in a bowl and drizzle the oil over it. Thoroughly mix the oil into the flour and pecan mixture.
Give the fruit mixture a stir and distribute it evenly among six 7- or 8- ounce baking cups or ramekins. Tap the bottom of the cups gently on a hard surface to settle the fruit. Spread the topping evenly over the fruit and place the cups on a baking sheet or large baking dish (easier to handle and also will catch any juices that bubble over).
Bake until the fruit is bubbling and the topping browned, about 45 minutes. Serve hot, warm, or at room temperature.

Variations

If you use frozen fruit, it is best to measure it before thawing, because the fruit compacts as it thaws. Add an additional tablespoon of cornstarch to help thicken the fruit. Most fruit is sweeter than rhubarb, so we suggest you use a little less brown sugar in other fruit mixtures: we usually use 12 cup for 6 cups of fruit. To blueberries, peaches, pears, or apples, we like to add a tablespoon of fresh lemon or lime juice and/or a little finely grated zest.

What's your favorite strawberry dessert recipe?
Let us know in the comments!