Rhubarb Crumble Recipe

Rhubarb is too sour to eat on its own, which is exactly why it makes such a good crumble. The stalks are cut into small pieces and tossed with cornstarch, cinnamon and brown sugar, then covered with a topping of rolled oats, flour, brown sugar, chopped pecans, vanilla and cinnamon, all bound with softened coconut oil.

Getting the topping crisp

Rub the coconut oil into the dry ingredients with your fingertips until it looks like breadcrumbs. It needs to be soft, not melted; melted oil makes a greasy, flat topping. Start with 5 tablespoons and add the last one only if the mixture still seems dry.

• Fresh or frozen rhubarb both work.
• The flour is flexible: all-purpose, oat flour, almond flour or a gluten-free blend.
• Softened dairy-free butter can replace the coconut oil.
• Cut the rhubarb into even pieces and spread it in a flat layer so it all cooks at the same rate.

Bake until the rhubarb is bubbling and the top is crisp and browned. Let it sit for a few minutes so the juices thicken a little, then serve it warm with whipped cream or a scoop of dairy-free ice cream. The tart fruit against the sweet, nutty topping is the whole point, so resist adding extra sugar to the filling.

Keep going from here: my dessert index, pies first.