Pink Lady Rhubarb Crisp

Wishing all of the father's out there a very Happy Father's Day! 

Nicole here again, getting plenty of cooking and baking in this summer solstice! Summer is officially here and it is time to celebrate the outdoors. I was on the hunt for rhubarb over the past several weeks, purchasing all of the stalks I could possibly get my hands on from a variety of different grocery stores. Friendly neighbours and friend's have also stepped up their rhubarb offerings from their gardens in exchange for sweet baked treats! This recipe is delightfully sweet and tart, but the incorporation of the grenadine syrup allows the rhubarb to be the star of the show. The subtle sweet and tart taste of the fruit with the warm, chewy and crunchy crisp- its all things magic! 

A lovely dessert to enjoy on the first official day of summer.

Tea Pairing: Darjeeling Tea (Second Flush)

Yields: 6 servings

What you Need:

5-6 medium stalks of rhubarb, washed & chopped

1/2 cup Grenadine syrup

3/4 cup castor sugar

1 tsp. lemon zest

1 tbsp. lemon juice

1/2 cup tapioca flour

1/4 cup white rice flour

1 cup quick cooking rolled oats (not instant)

1/2 cup brown sugar

1/3 cup butter, melted

How to Make it Happen:

1. Wash and chop all rhubarb stalks into half-inch pieces and place in a bowl with grenadine syrup. Cover and leave overnight in the fridge so the rhubarb can absorb the lovely juices of the syrup. If time is limited, leave the rhubarb to soak for 1.5-2 hours. 

   
   
   

   Soak overnight so the rhubarb can absorb the lovely juices of the syrup
   

   
   
2. Mix the rolled oats, brown sugar, butter and 1/4 cup of tapioca flour into a separate bowl and massage with your fingertips. Ensure that all of the butter is incorporated within the oat-sugar mixture. The crisp topping should have a crumbly consistency. 
3. Preheat oven to 350 degrees.
4. Once the rhubarb has finished soaking, drain the fruit from the syrup and add the lemon zest and lemon juice, sugar, white rice flour and the remaining tapioca flour. The consistency should be gooey in a lovely shade of pink.
   
   

   

   Consistency should be gooey in a lovely shade of pink
   

   
   
5. Once the mixture is well incorporated, place the fruit mixture at the bottom of a glass or clay deep-dish pan. 
   
   

   

   Use a glass or clay deep-dish pan 
   
   

6. Next, take the crisp topping mixture and spread on top of the rhubarb mixture. For a more chewy and crunchier topping, include small dollop's of butter on the top of the crisp and bake in a 350 degree oven for 40 minutes.

   
   

   Add small dollop's of butter on the top of the crisp