Rhubarb continually steals my heart. The tartness it brings just makes me really, really happy It makes me happy. So when I stopped in a new Micro Market last weekend and saw some rhubarb, I immediately snatched some up and started dreaming up a dessert for some friends that were coming over. Classically strawberries pair really well with rhubarb, but I had a variety of mixed berries on hand so I decided to go that route and it was a great move. These bars come together quickly and feel just indulgent enough to call a dessert, but could easily be excused as a quick breakfast if paired with some yogurt. I hope you all enjoy!
RHUBARB BERRY CRUMBLE BARS
Adapted from Ambitious Kitchen
For the crust and crumble:
3 cups gluten free oat flour
2 cup old-fashioned rolled oats
1 cup packed brown sugar
1 teaspoon ground cinnamon
1/2 teaspoon baking soda
1/2 teaspoon salt
1 cup coconut oil, melted
2 teaspoon vanilla extract
For the filling:
3 1/2 heaping cups fresh or frozen mixed berries
1 1/2 cup rhubarb, chopped
6 tablespoons pure maple syrup
3 tablespoons cornstarch
1/2 teaspoon vanilla
Pinch of salt
Preheat the oven to 350 degrees. Grease a 9x13 inch pan with nonstick cooking spray to prevent sticking.
Make the base + topping: In a large bowl, use a fork to mix together the oat flour, oats, brown sugar, cinnamon, baking soda and salt. Add in melted coconut oil and vanilla extract and stir until a nice crumble forms and dough begins to clump together.
Place 2/3 of the mixture into the prepared pan and place the remaining mixture into the fridge. We’ll use that for the topping. Use your hands to evenly press the dough to the bottom of the pan.
Make the filling: Place a medium pot over medium heat. Add in the rhubarb, berries, maple syrup, vanilla extract, cornstarch and salt. Use a wooden spoon to press down and break down the blueberries just a bit.
Bring to a boil, then reduce heat and cook for 3-5 more minutes until mixture is thickened up and nicely coats the back of a spoon.
Pour mixture over the crust and use a spoon to evenly spread.
Bringing it all together: Take the remaining topping out of the fridge. By now there should be some nice crumbles that have clumped together. Sprinkle the topping over the rhubarb-berry filling.
Bake for 30 minutes or until filling is bubbly and topping is golden.
Allow bars to cool completely on a wire rack before transferring to the fridge to chill. Bars are delicious served at room temperature or straight out of the fridge. Use a sharp knife to cut into bars before serving.
The bars are delicious served at room temperature or straight out of the fridge. I recommend storing in the fridge for optimal freshness.
