Rhubarb and Apple Crumble Recipe

Photo by foodistablog.

An English crumble is the perfect throw-it-together summertime dessert. The less fuss you make over your crumble, the better it will turn out. Case in point: the topping. The lumpier the topping, the better the crumble. Honest.

The best way to do this is to mix the dry ingredients together in a bowl (with a whisk or fork), cut the cold butter directly into it, and then proceed with the squishing. When the topping starts to look nice and lumpy, it’s ready.

Of course, you could pulse it all together in a food processor if you don’t want to get your hands dirty. Just don’t go nuts with the pulse button: you don’t want a perfectly uniform pile of crumbs.

Note: We’re using apples here (to soften out the almost harsh acidity of the rhubarb) but strawberries would be just as nice. You could also substitute all purpose gluten-free flour and gluten-free oats to make this recipe gluten-free.

Rhubarb and apple crumble

Fruit:
3-5 stalks rhubarb, washed and chopped
2 apples, peeled, cored, and chopped
pinch of salt
3/4 cup sugar
1 Tablespoon flour

Topping:
1 teaspoon salt
2/3 cup flour
1/3 cup oats
1 cup brown sugar
1 cup butter

1. Preheat the oven to 350 degrees F
2. Mix all the fruit ingredients together and put in the bottom of an ovenproof dish
3. Mix all the topping ingredients together and casually sprinkle on top of the fruit. This is not a pie! Allow the fruit to peek out cheekily here and there
4. Bake for 50 minutes to 1 hour (the topping should be golden brown and parts of it should be dark with bubbling fruit juice).

At this point, you have two options:
1. Allow your crumble to cool to room temperature then eat with softly whipped cream
2. Serve your crumble hot with a drizzle of cold heavy cream

Dr. Nishant Rao is a co-founder of WellWire.com. He is a well-traveled naturopathic doctor and new father, practicing an integrative approach to create wellness in and around Los Angeles. Become a patient or discover his practice.