Chef notes
The combination of sweet strawberries and slightly tangy, vegetal rhubarb is just about the springiest one out there. Moreover, when the combination is covered with a crispy, sweet and buttery topping, it just gets so much better. Although this may be an unpopular opinion, we believe crisps are superior to pie. Scandalous, we know. Yes, flaky, tender pie crust is wonderful. However, crisps are so easy to assemble, texturally interesting and otherworldly when enjoyed with melty vanilla ice cream.
Here, we call for instant oats, as they become super crispy when baked. We also call for melted butter because it helps the topping come together even more quickly than one made with softened or chilled butter — and we love a shortcut. We also call for brown sugar rather than granulated, as we love the slightly caramelized flavor that brown sugar brings to the topping.
Technique Tips: Cut the rhubarb and strawberries into similarly-sized pieces so they bake evenly. When assembling the topping, the butter should be warm, but not hot, when you add it to the other ingredients. Don’t be anxious about poking the topping to confirm the fruit is bubbling underneath. You really need to see bubbles to know the cornstarch has been activated, which insures the filling will not be too runny.
Swap Option: You may substitute old-fashioned oats for the quick-cooking oats.
Ingredients
- 3/4 cup granulated sugar
- 1/4 cup cornstarch
- 1/2 teaspoon kosher salt
- 4 cups chopped strawberries
- 4 cups sliced rhubarb
- 1 cup all-purpose flour
- 1/2 cup quick-cooking oats
- 1 cup packed light brown sugar
- 1/2 teaspoon kosher salt
- 1/2 cup unsalted butter, melted and cooled slightly
Preparation
1.Preheat the oven to 350 F. Set aside a 1½ to 2 liter baking dish.
2.Make the filling: in a large bowl, whisk together the sugar, cornstarch and salt. Stir in the strawberries and rhubarb with a flexible spatula and transfer to the prepared pan.
3.Make the topping: in the same bowl, whisk together the flour, oats, brown sugar and salt. Pour the butter over the dry ingredients and stir with a flexible spatula until clumps form. Generously sprinkle the crisp topping evenly over the filling.
4.Bake for 1 hour or until the juices bubble up in the center of the pan when you poke at the topping with a wooden skewer.
5.Let the crisp cool for about 15 minutes before serving with a drizzle of heavy cream or vanilla ice cream. The crisp will keep tightly wrapped on the counter for up to 3 days.
