Using ramekins ensures this strawberry rhubarb crisp is evenly and fully baked.
Using ramekins ensures this strawberry rhubarb crisp is evenly and fully baked.
Forget daffodils and flip-flops, I’m not convinced that warm weather has truly arrived until rhubarb appears in our markets. While many fruits and berries are in our stores year-round, fresh rhubarb (a vegetable that passes as a fruit) is only available in spring and early summer. It comes in stalks, like celery, and ranges in color from bright red to soft green. The variation in color doesn’t indicate flavor differences, they all have a wonderfully tart taste. I favor the red ones, solely because of the lovely tint they add to anything I bake with them.
Whatever color you choose, look for stalks that are straight, thin, firm, unblemished and have a little sheen. If they have leaves, remove and throw them away; they’re toxic. Store the stalks, well covered, in the refrigerator for up to three days. When you’re ready to bake, wash the rhubarb, trim the ends, and, if your stalks are an inch or more wide, halve them horizontally before cutting into pieces. I buy copious quantities, prep and package them in bake-able amounts, and freeze them, so I can cook with rhubarb months after it’s vanished from our stores.
Combining it with fresh strawberries, as I do in this crisp, makes a classic summer dessert. The play between the tart rhubarb and sweet berries, as they mingle happily under a crunchy topping, is simplicity at its best. It’s easy to make at high elevations, for very little adjustment is required. I increase the vanilla in the filling and add some crème de cassis for a stronger berry taste because flavorings fade at altitude. And, because reduced air pressure often causes the center of baked goods cooked in a large pan to remain underdone, I make the crisp in single-serving ramekins so the filling is evenly and fully baked. I also add oven time because it takes longer for fruit fillings to cook at high elevations.
Though not a necessity, I make and refrigerate the topping ahead of time; baking it after it’s been chilled helps prevent it from over-browning. A word of caution: Because both rhubarb and strawberries contain a lot of water, too much time in the oven softens them to the point of disintegration. So, try to avoid overbaking. If it happens, all is not lost — the filling still tastes good, but the texture isn’t as appealing.
You can buy packaged toasted and chopped pecans at Trader Joe’s; they’re a real time-saver when you’re making the topping for this dessert. If crème de cassis is new to you, you’re in for a treat. It’s a black currant liqueur that works magic with fresh berries; I add it to almost any recipe that features blueberries, strawberries, blackberries or raspberries.
Makes: 6 servings in 8-ounce ramekins; total time: 1 hour, 15 minutes
¼ cup plus 2 tablespoons unbleached flour
1/3 cup granulated sugar, preferably superfine
¼ cup toasted and coarsely chopped pecans
½ cup granulated sugar, preferably superfine
12 ounces fresh rhubarb, washed and trimmed
2 tablespoons crème de cassis, optional
Prepare the topping: (This can be done a day ahead and refrigerated, covered.) Place the flour, sugar and salt in a mixing bowl and whisk to combine well. Cut the cold butter into half-inch cubes and add them to the bowl. Use your fingertips or a pastry blender to blend the butter into the dry ingredients until the mixture starts to stick together, forming small clumps. Add the oats and the pecans and mix, squeezing and rubbing the dough, until they are distributed throughout the topping. If the mixture is too dry to form clumps, work in another teaspoon or so of cut-up butter until it does. Cover and set this aside.
Preheat the oven to 375 degrees with a rack in the center position. Butter the six ramekins and set them aside.
Make the filling: In a large bowl, combine the sugar and flour and whisk to blend. Hull and cut the strawberries in half or, if they are large, into quarters, and add them to the bowl. Cut the fresh rhubarb into half-inch pieces and add them with the vanilla and the crème de cassis, if you’re using it. Toss gently to combine the ingredients until no sugar or flour is at the bottom of the bowl and all the fruit is well coated with it.
Bake: Divide the filling among the ramekins. Sprinkle the topping over it, squeezing it into clumps as you do so. Place the ramekins on a foil-lined baking sheet (to catch drips) and bake until the filling is thick and bubbly and the topping has colored and is crisp. Start checking after 28-30 minutes in the oven. Don’t overbake, or the fruit will get mushy. Remove the crisps from the oven. At this point, you may cool them for about 15 minutes and serve them. If you don’t plan to serve them immediately, cool them completely, refrigerate them, covered lightly, and reheat them in a 325-degree oven until warm to the touch. Serving the warm crisps with a scoop of vanilla ice cream is a winning combination.
Vera Dawson is a high-elevation baking instructor and author of three high-altitude cookbooks (available at Garcia Street Books in Santa Fe). Contact her at veradawson1@gmail.com.
High altitude makes cookies spread, cakes fall and few baked goods turn out as they do at sea level. This monthly column presents tested recipes and tips that make baking at high elevations successful.
Stay up to date on the latest news and the local entertainment scene by subscribing to The New Mexican's email lists.
Success! An email has been sent to with a link to confirm list signup.
Error! There was an error processing your request.
Receive a list of headlines from the latest edition of The New Mexican in your inbox every morning.
Get the highlights from Santa Fe's weekly magazine of arts, entertainment and culture each Friday.
Contests and special offers from The Santa Fe New Mexican and advertising partners.
Sorry, there are no recent results for popular videos.
Get up-to-the-minute news sent straight to your device.
Stay informed of the latest local news by receiving emails as soon as news is posted online.
Receive a list of headlines from the latest edition of The New Mexican in your inbox every morning.
Contests and special offers from The Santa Fe New Mexican and advertising partners.
Your account has been registered, and you are now logged in.
Check your email for details.
Invalid password or account does not exist
Submitting this form below will send a message to your email with a link to change your password.
An email message containing instructions on how to reset your password has been sent to the e-mail address listed on your account.
Your purchase was successful, and you are now logged in.
A receipt was sent to your email.