There is no mistaking when strawberry season starts in Southern California. You see these ruby jewels everywhere at the local farmers markets, and that perfume of the ripe berries are intoxicating.
I’ll get caught up in the excitement and buy half a flat every visit, and it’s a race for my husband and me to eat as many berries before they start to go bad. Someone has to do it, right?
I’m perfectly happy eating strawberries as is, but this is the time to bring out all the strawberry recipes and make the most of the springtime bounty.
Strawberries and rhubarb are the perfect springtime marriage. This strawberry rhubarb crisp will satisfy that craving for fresh sweet strawberries and give you that warm comforting dessert (topped with your favorite ice cream, of course).
I wanted to make this dessert gluten-free and vegan. I took a non-traditional approach was taken to assembling the crisp.
I was inspired by Alice Medrich and her book Gluten-Free Flavor Flours. She introduces the concept of baking the fruit and topping separately. You get a perfectly cooked fruit filling and wonderful crunchy topping that holds up to the juicy fruit and doesn’t go soggy. Brilliant.
You won’t mind washing an extra baking sheet, as your efforts will pay off. I’ve slogged through enough soggy, gummy gluten-free crumble and crisp recipes. This recipe is a winner.
STRAWBERRY RHUBARB CRISP (gluten free, dairy free, vegan)
A delicious way to use the bounty of springtime strawberries and rhubarb.
Crisp topping and method inspired by Gluten Free Flavor Flours by Alice Medrich.
- Prep Time: 20 minutes
- Cook Time: 40 minutes
- Total Time: 1 hour
- Yield: 6 servings (or 4 generous servings)
Ingredients
EQUIPMENT NEEDED
8×8 baking dish, food processor, 2 baking sheets, silpat or parchment.
FRUIT FILLING
3 C sliced strawberries.
2 C sliced rhubarb, 1/2 pieces
3/4 C organic cane sugar
zest and juice of 1/2 lemon
1 tbsn arrowroot starch (or 1 tbsp white rice flour)
1 1/2 tsp cinnamon
1/4 tsp grated nutmeg
1/4 tsp kosher salt
1 tsp vanilla extract
TOPPING
1/2 C white rice flour
1/4 C gluten free oats, ground in a food processor (or 1/4 C gluten free oat flour)
3/4 C sliced almonds
3/4 C sucanat (or 3/4 C light brown sugar)
1 1/2 tsp cinnamon
1/4 tsp nutmeg
1/4 tsp kosher salt
6 tbsn refined coconut oil
Instructions
Preheat oven to 375F degrees.
FRUIT
Combine strawberries and rhubarb gently in baking dish.
Add sugar, lemon juice and zest, arrowroot starch and salt to fruit and combine gently.
Place on lined baking sheet, then place in oven, Bake for 25 minutes. Stir, and bake for another 15 minutes. You will know when the fruit is ready, as the juices have released from the fruit and have thickened slightly.
TOPPING:
When the fruit goes in the oven, make the topping.
In a medium sized bowl, combine white rice flour, ground oats, sucunat, almonds, spices and salt.
Add coconut oil. Using a fork (using your fingers are perfectly fine!), incorporate the coconut oil into dry ingredients until well combined.
Spread onto baking sheet lined with a silpat or parchment paper.
Place in oven, top rack, and bake for 15 minutes. You can place in oven when you stir the fruit.
SERVING
When fruit is set and topping is lightly browned, remove from oven to cool for 10 minutes.
Topping will have spread into one uniform piece. Break it up with your hands into smaller pieces.
You have the option of topping the entire baking pan with the topping, or spoon the fruit into individual dishes, then sprinkle each individual dish with the topping.
