Gluten Free Rhubarb Crisp Bars

Prep Time : 20 minutes

Cook dinner Time : 45 minutes

Serve up smiles if you make this gluten free rhubarb crisp bars recipe. These gf rhubarb bars are candy and tart, making them the proper spring deal with.

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These gluten free rhubarb crisp bars, filled with a mixture of candy chopped strawberries and tart rhubarb chunks, are made merely with a shortbread base that we flip right into a crisp crumble topping. You’ll fall in love with all the brilliant colours, candy and tart aroma, and combination of textures!

Why that is one of the best gluten free rhubarb bars recipe

Despite the fact that these jammy rhubarb crisp bars have 3 layers, together with a crust, filling, and topping, they couldn’t be less complicated to make. We begin with a easy gf shortbread crust, made principally of butter, sugar, and an all function gluten free flour mix, after which flip about 3/4 cup of that combination right into a easy brown sugary crisp/crumble topping.

Rhubarb alone tends to be tremendous tart, even as soon as it’s cooked right down to a delicate, tender, consistency in the course of these lovely tender, nubby gf rhubarb crisp bars. For the proper steadiness of candy and tart, this recipe requires half contemporary chopped strawberries and half contemporary chopped rhubarb.

Should you lengthy for essentially the most tart desserts, you received’t have to vary something on this recipe besides to make use of a full 16 ounces (a pound) of chopped rhubarb. Soothe any final minute doubts that your palate can deal with the total rhubarb expertise by tossing a tablespoon or two of sugar with the rhubarb earlier than you pile it on prime of the crust.

Components for gluten free rhubarb crumble bars

• Gluten free flour – The easy shortbread crust of those bars is made principally of a mixture of simply the fitting all function gluten free flour mix with loads of butter, so choose your flour mix fastidiously. I like Higher Batter right here, because it offers a sturdy base for all of that cooked fruit within the heart.
• Cornstarch – We add cornstarch to Higher Batter to create extra tenderness within the shortbread crust, so it bakes up mild however can nonetheless maintain all that moisture.
• Granulated sugar – The one sweetener within the shortbread crust in these bars is granulated sugar, which provides a mild sweetness and likewise helps to tenderize the crust.
• Salt – Salt not solely balances sweetness however brightens the opposite flavors in these beautiful bars. I bake with kosher salt or calmly flaked sea salt, which dissolves utterly however is coarse sufficient to make it simpler to not overmeasure and find yourself with a very salty closing consequence.
• Butter – The butter within the crust ought to be at room temperature, since we wish it to mix absolutely with the sugar and gf flour with out making the shortbread greasy. The extra butter we add to the crumble topping is melted to assist moisten the brown sugar topping combination rapidly, after which frozen briefly so we are able to break it right into a chunky topping that crisps up within the oven.
• Egg yolk – The one egg yolk within the shortbread crust helps maintain the shortbread crust components collectively, and provides richness.
• Gentle brown sugar – The brown sugar added to the crumble topping provides the wealthy taste of molasses for a extra complicated taste, which additionally helps the topping brown within the oven.
• Floor cinnamon – A contact of floor cinnamon within the crumble topping helps add depth of taste and differentiate the topping from the opposite 2 layers.
• Vanilla extract – Vanilla extract provides extra taste to the topping and rounds out the flavors together with the cinnamon.
• Rhubarb stalks – Rhubarb stalks, which appear to be red-tinged celery stalks, will be eaten uncooked, however aren’t very pleasant-tasting—till you cook dinner or bake them down right into a scrumptious, jammy combination. We solely use the stalks of rhubarb, by no means the leaves since they’re toxic.
• Strawberries – Candy summer season strawberries are the proper complement to the tartness of rhubarb. This recipe requires 8 ounces of strawberries, as hulled, so don’t weigh the ingredient till you’ve eliminated the tops.

Ideas for making one of the best gluten free strawberry rhubarb bars

Recent vs. frozen rhubarb

I usually bake with contemporary rhubarb, which I have a tendency to seek out out there with the leaves already eliminated. However even in season, contemporary rhubarb will be exhausting to seek out. In case you have frozen rhubarb that’s already been chopped, you need to use it rather than contemporary right here.

Don’t defrost your frozen rhubarb chunks earlier than including them to the bars. In truth, hold them within the freezer till you’re able to assemble the uncooked bars.

The right way to lower rhubarb for crumble bars

I usually discover contemporary rhubarb within the retailer that’s already been cleaned and chopped into 6-inch stalks. In case your rhubarb remains to be connected to the leaves, take away and discard the leaves (they’re not suitable for eating as a consequence of their comparatively excessive focus of oxalic acid, making them apparently harmful on your kidneys), wash and dry the stalks, and chop them into chunks about 1/2-inch (1 1/4 cm) lengthy.

Recent vs. frozen strawberries

Like utilizing frozen rhubarb, it’s tremendous to make use of frozen strawberries, so long as they’re already hulled and chopped. Should you tried to make use of complete frozen strawberries, you’d have to defrost them to chop them into the chunks we’d like for the filling of those bars, and so they’d find yourself wilted and flavorless in the course of your gf rhubarb crisp bars.

The right way to put together your strawberries for these bars

You want 8 ounces, by weight, of contemporary (or frozen, see above) strawberries which have already had their tops eliminated. You may chop them after you weigh them, however in case you weigh your strawberries after which take away the tops, you’ll find yourself utilizing too little of the chopped berries in your filling.

Let your gf rhubarb crisp bars cool utterly

Earlier than slicing or dealing with these bars after they’re completed baking, make sure to allow them to cool utterly. The middle is kind of moist, and the topping is nubby and designed to have gaps. That implies that they’re not as secure as, say, gf brownies, so don’t deal with them till the filling has been allowed to set to room temperature.

The right way to retailer gluten free strawberry rhubarb crumble bars

These bars are so tender and moist that they are often saved in a sealed container within the fridge for as much as per week. When I’ve leftover rhubarb crisp bars, I like to chop them into small, bite-sized items, place them in a sealed container and depart them within the fridge for a fast, candy snack.

Can I freeze my gf rhubarb crisp bars?

You may freeze these bars, however the fruit layer might develop some ice crystals within the freezer, particularly if it’s uncovered on to the air of the freezer. Wrap the bars very tightly, and let defrost absolutely at room temperature earlier than serving them.

Gluten free rhubarb bars: substitutions

Dairy free, gluten free rhubarb bars

The one dairy in these gf rhubarb crisp bars is the butter in each the shortbread crust and the topping. It is best to be capable to change it with vegan butter (my favourite manufacturers are Miyoko’s Kitchen and Soften), however they do are likely to have some extra moisture so your topping might not maintain its form fairly as nicely.

Egg free, gluten free rhubarb bars

There’s just one egg yolk on this recipe, and you may change it with 1 extra tablespoon of butter (vegan butter, in case you’re avoiding dairy) on this recipe. Should you’re involved that your bars might find yourself feeling a bit greasy, strive including just a few drops of lukewarm water to the crust (simply sufficient to assist deliver the combination collectively sufficient that it holds collectively when squeezed in your palm).

Vegan, gluten free rhubarb bars

To make vegan gf rhubarb crisp bars, strive utilizing the dairy and egg alternative ideas above. You’ll additionally have to ensure that there’s no bone char used to make your sugars.

Strawberry substitutes

You may change the chopped strawberries right here with extra chopped rhubarb for a a lot much less candy, extra tart dessert. Should you’re involved the bars will style too tart, strive tossing the rhubarb with a tablespoon or two of granulated sugar first.

You would possibly be capable to change the strawberries with contemporary blueberries or raspberries in an equal quantity. I believe peeled, cored, and chopped macintosh apples can be nice, too.

FAQs

What’s rhubarb?

Rhubarb is a fibrous vegetable that’s formed just like celery, however is often vibrant pink and even purple. It’s the uncommon sort of produce that’s actually solely out there within the springtime, when it’s really in season.

Is rhubarb gluten free?

Sure! Since rhubarb, by itself, is only a plain vegetable (though misleadingly categorised as a fruit), it’s protected on a gluten free weight loss plan.

Are rhubarb leaves edible?

No! Each rhubarb leaves and stalks have oxalic acid, a naturally occurring compound that, in increased quantities can result in kidney stones and different difficulties, however the leaves comprise a a lot increased focus of oxalic acid. Should you bought your rhubarb with the leaves connected, take away and discard them first.

Do you have to soak rhubarb earlier than baking?

No! Rhubarb stalks are comparatively fibrous, however these bars bake for lengthy sufficient in a heat oven that the fibers break down sufficient to make the rhubarb fork tender and scrumptious. Should you have been to soak or precook the rhubarb in any approach, it will soften an excessive amount of within the oven.

What’s one of the best flour for this gluten free rhubarb crumble recipe?

I like to make use of Higher Batter traditional mix gluten free flour on this recipe (or my mock Higher Batter recipe), lightened with a little bit of extra cornstarch. Should you’re utilizing a mix like Cup4Cup that already has a number of cornstarch, use a further 1/4 cup (36 g) Cup4Cup as a substitute of the identical quantity of cornstarch.

What the distinction between a gluten free strawberry rhubarb cobbler and a crisp?

A gf cobbler has a pastry topping, which is usually bumpy, like a cobblestone road. A crisp, like these gf rhubarb crisp bars, has a smaller, crumbly topping, that will get tremendous crispy on prime because the filling bakes.

Why is my gluten free rhubarb crisp soggy?

Assuming you didn’t make any ingredient substitutions which could have affected the moisture steadiness in these bars, in case your rhubarb bars are soggy, did you utilize softened fruit, or chop your strawberries tremendous so that they dissolved throughout baking?

Do gluten free rhubarb desserts have to be refrigerated?

Should you’re storing your rhubarb bars in a temperature-controlled kitchen, you don’t have to refrigerate them to maintain them contemporary for a pair days. Simply cowl them in plastic wrap or put them in a sealed container. For longer storage, or in case your setting is scorching and humid, to keep away from the butter’s spoiling, refrigerate the dessert.