It’s not right to let the spring season pass without at least one indulgence in rhubarb. In Jennifer Emilson’s book, The Lemon Apron, she pairs this ‘mouth-puckering’ vegetable (yes it’s technically a vegetable) with sweet berries and apples to make her Rhubarb Bumbleberry Crumble. Emilson recommends firmer apples like gala or ambrosia for this crumble, along with a combination of blueberries, raspberries and strawberries. Be sure to have good amounts of vanilla ice cream on hand.

A rhubarb crumble with one serving in a white bowl on white linen

Rhubarb Bumbleberry Crumble

Jennifer Emilson's berry-filled crumble is the perfect way to celebrate the arrival of rhubarb season.

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Prep Time 20

Cook Time 1

Total Time 1 20

Course Dessert, Snack

Cuisine British, Canadian, English

Servings 8

Ingredients

Bumbleberry Filling

2 apples such as Gala or Ambrosia, peeled and chopped
2 cups chopped rhubarb
1½ cups hulled and quartered strawberries
1 cup blueberries
1 cup raspberries
zest and juice of 1 lime divided
⅔ cup sugar
4 tbsp arrowroot starch
1½ tbsp finely chopped mint

Crumble Topping

¾ cup all-purpose flour
½ cup almond flour or meal
¾ tsp baking powder
3 tbsp light brown sugar
3 tbsp granulated sugar
½ cup butter chilled
vanilla ice cream for serving

Instructions

Preheat the oven to 375°F. Spray or grease a 9- or 10-inch deep-dish pie plate or baking dish.

Bumbleberry Filling

In a large bowl, combine the apples, rhubarb, strawberries, blueberries and raspberries. Add the lime juice and toss to coat. In a small bowl, combine the sugar, arrowroot, mint, and half of the lime zest. Add the lime zest mixture to the fruit and toss well. Let sit, uncovered, for 10 minutes to release the juices.

Crumble Topping

Meanwhile, in a medium bowl, whisk together both flours, the baking powder, both sugars and the remaining lime zest. Grate the butter into the bowl on the large side of a box grater. Rub the mixture together with your fingertips until it has a sandy texture with some larger pea-sized lumps.

Assembly

Transfer the filling to the prepared pie plate. Sprinkle the crumble topping over top, making sure there are lumpy bits throughout. This gives it texture and a shortbready feel.
Place the pie plate on a baking sheet. Bake for 30 minutes. If the topping is getting too browned at this point, cover loosely with foil. Continue baking until the juices are bubbling throughout and the topping is golden brown, 20 to 30 minutes. Remove the baking sheet and transfer the pie plate to a cooling rack. Let rest until the juices settle and thicken slightly, about 30 minutes.
Serve with generous amounts of vanilla ice cream.