Rhubarb Blueberry Pecan Muffins

Adapted from Canadian Living

Printable Recipe

Prep time: 10 minutes

Baking time: 20-45 depending on whether you make muffins (and the size of the muffins) or loaves

Cooling time: 10 minutes

Ingredients:

2-1/2 cups  all-purpose flour

1 tsp  baking soda

1/2 tsp salt

1-1/4 cups  packed brown sugar

1/2 cup canola oil

1 egg

1 cup buttermilk

1 tsp  vanilla

1 cup chopped rhubarb

1 cup fresh or frozen blueberries

3/4 cup pecans, coarsely chopped

Topping

1/2 cup packed brown sugar

1 tbsp butter, melted

1/2 tsp cinnamon

 

Directions:

1.      Preheat the oven to 350°F/180°C

2.       In large bowl, combine flour, baking soda and salt.

3.      In separate bowl, blend sugar with oil; whisk in egg, buttermilk and vanilla.

4.      Stir into dry ingredients along with rhubarb, blueberries & pecans just until flour is incorporated.

5.      Spoon into greased or paper-lined muffin tins, filling three-quarters full, or spoon into two greased 8- x 4-inch (1.5 L) loaf pans.  I made 18 muffins and used my trusty ice-cream scoop.

Topping: 

1.      Combine sugar, butter and cinnamon; sprinkle over batter.

2.      Bake in oven for 20 to 30 minutes for muffins (depending on the size), 40 to 45 minutes for loaves, or until cake tester inserted into centre comes out clean.

3.      Let cool in pans for 10 minutes before removing to let cool completely.

Strawberry Rhubarb Galettes

From Martha Stewart's Pies & Tarts

Printable Recipe

Crust needs to be prepared one hour up to a day ahead….
Crust:
Prep time: Tip from Martha Stewart – all ingredients should be cold – refrigerate for 30 minutes before you begin
Working the dough: 5 minutes or so
Chilling time: one hour to overnight

Galette:
Prep time: 5-10 minutes
Chilling time: 30 minutes
Baking time: 45 minutes
Cooling time: 30 minutes

Servings: 8

Ruth’s note: I used half the dough, but made it all and froze 4 of the 8 rounds of dough for another time. I made all of the filling and what I didn’t use for the tart, I slowly cooked down over low heat until the rhubarb was soft and made fridge jam.

Ingredients:
Crust: Pate Brisee
2 ½ cups all purpose flour
1 tsp salt
1 tsp sugar
1 cup (2 sticks) COLD unsalted butter, cut into small pieces
¼ - ½ cup ice water

Filling:
1 ½ lbs/680g) rhubarb, trimmed and cut into ¼ “ pieces (about 5 cups)
8 oz/227g fresh strawberries, hulled and chunked (Martha uses raspberries for this recipe) (about 1 ½ cups fresh berries – whichever you choose)
¼ cup cornstarch
2 cups granulated sugar
Coarse sugar for sprinkling

Directions:
Crust
1. Put the flour, sugar and salt in the bowl of the food processor fitted with the metal blade. Pulse a couple of times to combine.

2. Add the chilled butter and pulse until the mixture resembles coarse meal (if you don’t have a food processor, whisk the flour, sugar & salt and then using a pastry blender or your fingertips, cut the butter into the flour mixture). Drizzle ¼ cup ice water over the mixture. Pulse (or mix with a fork) until the mixture begins to hold together. If the dough is too dry, add more water 1 tbsp at a time and pulse. Cutting in the butter in a food processor should only take 10-15 seconds.

3. Turn the dough onto plastic wrap. Use you hands to quickly gather the wrap to shape the dough into balls (This recipe asks you to cut the dough evenly into 8 pieces to make individual galettes. For a large version, just shape into one ball.). Wrap each ball, flattened to a disk, in plastic wrap and refrigerate for 30 minutes or longer. The dough should be firm (I put 4 in the fridge and double wrapped and zip-lock bagged the other 4 and put them in the freezer for another time).
Galette:
4. While the dough is chilling, toss the fruit, cornstarch and granulated sugar in a large mixing bowl. Set aside until the dough is ready to roll out.

5. Roll each disc on a lightly floured surface and working from the center outward, until they are about 7” in diameter and 1/8” thick. Loosen with a spatula if it starts to stick and sprinkle a little more flour on the surface of the counter or board… but don’t use too much flour or it will get tough.

6. Line a rimmed baking sheet (or two if you are making all 8 galettes) with parchment paper.

7. Place a heaping ½ cup of fruit mixture in the center of each rolled disk leaving a 1” border. Fold the edges of the dough over the filling, leaving an opening in the center. Gently brush water between the folds and press gently so the folds stick together. Place four per baking sheet, leaving room between each galette.

8. Refrigerate for 30 minutes

9. Preheat oven to 400°F/ 200°C. Brush the edges of the dough with a little more water and sprinkle with the coarse sugar. Bake until the crusts are golden (30 minutes or so). Reduce the heat to 375°F/ 190°C and bake until the juices bubble and start to run out from the center of each galette (about 15 minutes)

10. Transfer to a wire rack and let cool completely before serving.

I like mine topped with a scoop of vanilla ice cream… whipped cream is another delicious option.

Magnolia Grill's Rhubarb Crisp

From Magnolia Grill, Lunenburg NS via Occasions Magazine Spring 2011

Printable Recipe

Prep time: 10 minutes
Bake time: 45 minutes or so
Serves 6-8
NOTE: I only had 3 cups of rhubarb, so I used a small loaf pan. Even though I cut the rhubarb in half , I did not reduce the amount for anything else. It still was sweet and tangy and delicious.

Ingredients:
Filling:
6 cups rhubarb, chopped (the redder the rhubarb the sweeter it is)
¾ cup sugar
¼ cup flour
¼ tsp grated nutmeg (I grated some Tonka bean)
2 tbsp lemon juice
Topping:
1/3 cup white flour
½ cup rolled oats
1/3 cup dark brown sugar
½ cup chopped toasted pecans
1 tsp grated lemon zest
¼ tsp cinnamon
1/3 cup butter, melted

Directions:
1. Preheat oven to 400°F/200°C

2. Combine all the filling ingredients in a medium bowl, mix well and place in a buttered 8”x8” square baking dish.

3. Combine all the topping ingredients, except for the melted butter, in a medium sized bowl. Mix well and then add the melted butter and mix again. Spread over the rhubarb filling and bake for 15 minutes.

4. Lower the temperature to 350°F/160°C or until the crust is golden bubbling around the edges.

Serve hot with ice cream – my favorite being vanilla.

Country Rhurbarb Cake

Country Rhubarb Cake
from Epicurious thanks to my cousin Arlene

Printable Recipe

Prep time: 15 minutes
Baking time: 30-40 minutes

Ingredients:
1 lb/450g fresh rhubarb stalks, cut into ½”“ pieces (3 cups), or 3 cups frozen rhubarb, thawed after measuring
¾ cup packed light brown sugar
2 cups cake flour (not self-rising), sifted
¾ tsp baking powder
½ cup plus 2 tbsp granulated sugar
1 stick (½ cup) cold unsalted butter, cut into ½” cubes
1/3 cup whole milk
2 large eggs (1 separated)

Directions:
1. Put oven rack in middle position and preheat oven to 400°F/200°C. Butter a 10-inch glass or ceramic pie plate or a 2 ½ quart oval gratin dish and chill.
2. Toss rhubarb with brown sugar in a bowl until coated and set aside.
3. Whisk together flour, baking powder, and ½ cup granulated sugar in a large bowl until combined well. Blend in butter with a pastry blender or your fingertips until mixture resembles coarse meal – or you could use frozen butter and grate it into the flour.
4. In a separate bowl, whisk together milk, whole egg, and yolk.
5. Make a well in center of flour mixture and add milk mixture, stirring with a wooden spoon to gradually incorporate flour and form a soft, sticky dough.
6. Transfer half of dough to the chilled pie plate and pat out over bottom and halfway up side with well-floured hands, then spoon rhubarb and any juices onto dough. Using a soup spoon place the remaining dough in small mounds evenly over top. Lightly beat egg white with a few drops of water, and lightly brush cake with egg wash. Sprinkle remaining 2 tbsp granulated sugar over top.
7. Bake cake until top crust is golden and rhubarb is tender, 30 to 40 minutes. Transfer to a rack to cool, about 30 minutes.
Eaten warm, it’s delicious, but I must warn you, the rhubarb will get soupy and make a soggy crust – not so great the day after.