Saturday, May 17, 2008

Country Rhubarb Dessert


The rhubarb is ready to eat! Conventional gardening wisdom says to pull out the stalks, but I always use these scissors.

Because we are going to travel a couple hours this afternoon to see our friends' daughter dance in her last high school recital, we're having this "dessert" as our early supper with cold glasses of milk.

Country Rhubarb Dessert

This recipe is quite like one I posted last year, Rhubarb Bars, but the amounts of ingredients are a bit different, as is the size of the pan.

1 cup flour
1/2 cup butter, softened
1/3 cup confectioners' sugar

2 eggs
1 1/4 cups sugar
1 teaspoon vanilla

1/4 cup flour
1 teaspoon baking powder
1/4 teaspoon salt

2 cups rhubarb, cut into 1/2 inch pieces


Blend flour and softened butter until like coarse crumbs. Add confectioners' sugar. Press into greased 7x11 pan. Bake at 350° for about 5 minutes.

Beat eggs. Gradually add the 1 1/4 cup sugar and vanilla. Beat until very light and fluffy; 5 minutes on high with electric mixer. At low speed, add flour, baking powder, and salt. Fold in rhubarb with spatula. Pour over baked crust. Spread evenly.

Bake at 350°F for 40 minutes until light brown and top feels dry. Serve cooled, with whipped cream and strawberries, if desired. This very delicious dish has a nice crunch to the crust with the soft rhubarb inside.

16 comments:

  1. Is rhubarb naturally sweet? I never had any raw?

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  2. Oh boy! You've got rhubarb ready-to-pick. Mine is still unfolding, but soon, very soon, I'll be "pulling" mine (i don't cut). The dessert looks DELISH (I have rhubarb envy)

    Jody (impatiently waiting her turn)

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  3. I'll have to bookmark this entry until next year, Nan. The one thing we don't have here is any rhubarb and I love it. We planted some a few weeks back after buying some on the internet, having it all die and then having to replace it from the local garden centre. I gather you shouldn't pick the first year but hopefully we'll have some next year and I can try your lovely sounding recipe.

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  4. I was just wondering what to do with the rhubarb! My mouth is watering.

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  5. I needed to read this today. I went into the grocery store and asked the vegetable-aisle-guy for rhubarb because I couldn't see any. No matter how many times I tried to explain he thought we were looking for Rupert.
    I was really hoping for a pie or something today. Reading about it, especially one this good, will have to do. It looks yummy.

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  6. Nan, you make me miss my parents - my dad had a splendid garden and he always planted rhubarb for my mom...stewed rhubarb, rhubarb pie, rhubarb and strawberries, she would have liked this recipe.

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  7. This looks really good and I don't even like rhubarb!

    Love the new picture!

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  8. I bought a rhubarb plant a few weeks ago and am anxiously watching it to see if it will grow. My parents always grew rhubarb and I love rhubarb crumble - one of my mother's lovely puddings. I'll try your recipe (with bought rhubarb) - it looks delicious.

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  9. I just put rhubarb in this year and am waiting for it to sprout. Obviously I won't be making a rhubarb desserts this year, but I'll save this recipe in a file. Sounds yummy!

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  10. I can just taste that rhubarb. Maggie, as far as I know you can't eat it raw, but maybe Nan will enlighten us here. I thought you had to cook it a long time, with lots of sugar. It is tangy and has a unique taste. I can't think of anything that tastes like it. It tastes like rhubarb! And is good for you too!

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  11. Oh my sakes alive!!! That top looks like joyful memories of mine!!! How wonderful to have a recipe, which promises to provide that top!!!

    Our rhubarb is not ready yet. But it's looking wonderfully healthy and happy this year. We're so glad, because it seemed 'done-for,' last season. Yish...

    Thank you much!!!

    Mari-Nanci
    Smilnsigh
    Photos-City-Mine

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  12. My goodness, twelve comments on rhubarb! I love it. Thank you all so much. Maggie, it isn't sweet at all. People add tons of sugar to recipes. As a kid, I'd eat it raw, though. I wish I could send you all a bit of mine. I have two big plants, and then a little one I dug from one of the others. There will be more recipes to follow. Stay tuned. :<)

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  13. Oh, I meant to reply to The Elementary - a produce fellow doesn't know what rhubarb is?? Rupert? I'm shaking my head. :<)

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  14. Nan, he was very young and I think because we have "accents" he shut down immediately. Our accents are not very strong. We spoke- always speak- clearly. But sometimes it just doesn't work. Depends on the mindset of the person you're trying to communicate with, doesn't it?
    Not to derail the lovely topic about rhubarb, but in December we had a cashier shake her head every time my Spouse started to speak to tell her something- and finally, she turned to me and said "what did he say?"
    She didn't get very polite answer :\ I'm afraid. I was very upset.
    Some day we'll laugh at this, over a delicious Rupert Pie ;) But not yet... your pictures and recipes are always so inspiring.

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  15. "Country Rhubarb Dessert"
    I am a reader from Bonn, Germany. Your blog was recommended to us by Bookbabbler's (igoogle.com)where my husband and I are members. I have been a regular reader of your blog. I especially like your recipees. Yesterday I made your rhubarb dessert and served it with strawberries and cream as recommended by you. It was delicious! In the meantime I also bought 2 cookbooks recommended by you (The Tassajarah Bread Book and Mrs Appleyard's Kitchen. I like cooking and find your recipees inspiring!

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  16. Nan, I whipped up a batch of this last night and we had it for a late (12:30 a.m. or thereabouts) dinner. It was delicious.

    Thank you for sharing the recipe.

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