STRAWBERRY & RHUBARB CRUMBLE

In the past, I was hyper reluctant to cook strawberries. I thought that they'd end up tasting like strawberry jam (which I've never really enjoyed) if I did so. I love strawberries, but the sweet nearly sickly flavor of strawberry has always put me off. I was never one of those people who went crazy over a pot of strawberry jam. Quite the contrary! I am the kind of person who loves the taginess of apricot, black currant or Italian plum jams...

That was before my encounter with English television chef Tamasin Day-Lewis' "Strawberry & Rhubarb Crumble" recipe in the May issue of my Bon Appétit magazine. Then, I knew that I was ready to give cooked/baked strawberries a try. When mixed with rhubarb, cooked strawberries lose their cloying aspect, so there was no way they were going to be a problem for me. Rhubarb is the best partner for strawberries. Both complement each other perfectly.

At the moment we are getting the most perfumed strawberries from Italy, so I have been eating that lovely fruit almost on a daily basis. (strawberry fever, baby!). Not to forget that it is also the high season for Swiss rhubarb which has to be one of my favorite veggies (yes it is a vegetable!) ever. How could one resist eating both of them together? Nobody, I'm pretty sure.

And to tell you the truth, I now am addicted to cooked/baked strawberries in desserts! That crumble converted me totally and made me change my mind (well, I am still not a big fan of strawberry jam though, but I might reconsider my position later...). As a matter of fact, I have made different variations of that "Strawberry & Rhubarb Crumble" three times in a row/week!

The recipe I am going to share with you today was created for the meal (starter: green asparagus with a pistachio & fresh garlic vinaigrette, main course: gnudi di spinaci e ricotta) I had prepared with much care for my friend Corinne and is highly inspired by Tamasin Day-Lewis' crumble recipe (the original recipe has been turned around and newly adapted by myself).

Well, Corinne who loves rhubarb cleaned her dessert plate in no time and without effort! This crumble is just irresistibly heavenly. The topping is mouthwateringly crispy, delightfully buttery and pleasantly oaty, the middle is decadently gooey and incredibly puddingy and the bottom is marvelously juicy, wonderfully fruity as well as exhaliratingly fragrant. Totally awesome and to die for!

~ Strawberry & Rhubarb Crumble ~

Recipe inspired by Tamasin Day-Lewis and adapted by Rosa @ Rosa's Yummy Yums 2010 .

Ingredients:
200g (1 1/2 Cups + 1 Tbs) All purpose flour
100g (1/2 Cup) + 140g (2/3 Cup) Castor sugar
1/2 Tsp Sea salt
100g (1/2 Cup) Unsalted butter, cold & cut into 1.5cm (1/2-inch) cubes
2-3 Tbs Old-fashioned oats
2 Tsp Natural vanilla paste
1 Tsp Ground cinnamon
4 Cups (1 pound) Strawberries, hulled, halved (or cut in 4 if very big)
12 oz (360g) Red rhubarb, ends trimmed, stalks cut crosswise into 1.5cm (1/2-inch) -thick pieces

Method:
1. Combine the flour, 100g sugar and salt in medium bowl. Whisk to blend.
2. Add the butter and rub it in with your fingertips until the mixture ressemble corse sand/pebbles.
3. Add the oats and mix well.
4. Preheat the oven to 190° C (375° F).
5. Butter a 28x18x5cm (11x7x2-inch) baking dish.
6. Place the fruits in a big bowl, add the vanilla, cinnamon and 140g sugar in large bowl.
7. Toss delicately to coat well.
8. Scrape the fruit filling into the prepared baking dish.
9. Sprinkle the crumble topping evenly over the filling.
10. Bake the crumble until the filling bubbles thickly and the topping is crisp as well as golden brown, about 45 minutes.
11. Let cool 15 minutes on a wire rack.
12. Spoon the warm crumble into dessert dishes.

Remarks:

The topping can be made 1 to 2 days ahead.
Store the cooled crumble in an airtight container in fridge. It can be kept in the fridge for up to 2 days.

Serving suggestions:
Serve with some ice cream (vanilla, goat's milk, yoghurt, lemon...) or some thick yoghurt (Greek) mixed with a little powder sugar.
This crumble is also delicious when eaten cold (at room temperature) the next day.

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~ Crumble A La Rhubarbe Et A La Fraise ~

Recette inspirée par Tamasin Day-Lewis et adaptée par Rosa @ Rosa's Yummy Yums 2010 .

Ingrédients:
200g de Farine blanche
100g +140g de Sucre cristallisé
1/2 CC de Sel de mer
100g de Beurre non-salé, très froid et coupé en petits morceaux de 1.5cm
2-3 CS d'Avoine
2 CC de Pâte de vanille naturelle
1 CC de Cannelle en poudre
500g de Fraises, équeutées et coupées en deux (ou en quatre si elles sont grosses)
360g de Rhubarbe (préférablement rose), coupée en morceaux de 1.5cm

Méthode:

1. Mélanger la farine, les 100g de sucre et le sel dans un bol moyen.
2. Ajouter le beurre et l'incorporer avec les doigts afin d'obtenir un mélange sablé grossier.
3. Ajouter l'avoine et bien mélanger.
4. Préchauffer le four à 190° C.
5. Beurrer un plat à gratin de 28x18x5cm.
6. Mettre les fruits dans un grand bol, ajouter la vanille, la cannelle et les 140g de sucre.
7. Mélanger délicatement afin que le sucre et les épices soient bien répartis.
8. Mettre le mélange de fruits dans le plats.
9. Saupoudrer de manière homogène avec le crumble.
10. Cuire le crumble pendant 45 minutes, jusqu'à ce que le mélange aux fruits fasse des bulles et que le dessus soit bien croquant et doré.
11. Laisser refroidir pendant 15 minutes.
12. Servir le crumble dans des assiettes à dessert.

Remarques:

Le crumble (mélange farine/sucre/sel/beurre) peut être préparé à l'avance (1 à 2 jours).
Vous pouvez conserver le crumble au frigo (1 ou deux jours).

Idées de présentation:
Servir ce crumble avec de la glace (vanille, lait de chèvre, yaourt, citron,...) ou avec du yaourt épais (grec) auquel vous ajouterez un peu de sucre en poudre.
Ce crumble est aussi délicieux quand consommé froid (à température ambiante) le jour d'après.