Strawberries and rhubarb are like a perfect marriage blessed by the Gods. Sweet, ripe strawberries that perfectly balances the bold tang of rhubarb. Colorful, tangy, and sweet, this is the spirit of summer.
The number one thing that comes to mind when you see strawberry and rhubarb is not a cake or a sauce but the one and only "strawberry- rhubarb pie". I was never been a fan of pies, it's because I don't like making them, and It's because I'm not good at waiting. You have to make the dough, chill, roll, and wait again before eating. Not until I tried this strawberry rhubarb pie, really enjoyed it and now It is a favorite.
What makes the best Strawberry-rhubarb pie crisp?
Ingredients and how-tos sound too many and too long but this strawberry-rhubarb pie crisp recipe has all the ingredients you could find in your kitchen. Strawberry and rhubarb are easily available at any grocery store. if you can't find them at the produce section, the frozen area is always there for us, it will still taste amazing.
This recipe is made of :
- The best Pie crust
- Strawberry and rhubarb
- Sugar
- Thickener
- Streusel toppings
- Flavoring
When we talk about pie, we talk about pie crust, and choosing the fat to use in making the best crust is like our national identity that resides specifically in the crust, according to Harold Mcgee. The best-premade pie crust should taste like home, buttery, flakey, and something you will enjoy with the most delicious filling you're in the mood for.
Choosing the right filling is always what is in season, if you want to use everything fresh and if you have extra space in your freezer, it is also nice to get extras and freeze (especially if you love rhubarb because they only come in a short period of time). Most fruits are available year-round, thank you from hydroponics and the imports.
Let's talk about thickener. Is there always a right thickener?
You want to cut a nice, neat wedge of that beautiful pie that you work very hard to make, you want to see those pieces of fruit cozily and closely tucked together in a thick bound and not to run off into a soupy puddle? This all happens with the right thickener and time. But again, a touch of sogginess is not the end of the world. You would rather enjoy it while it is warm and smells amazing, with little juices that will spread in the pie dish as you lift a slice, Don't get bothered!
These are the favorite thickeners to not get the fillings awash in a sea of juice.
- All-purpose flour, it's an easy solution as it's a guarantee that you have it in your pantry. Because of its low in starch, you need to use more.
- Quick cooking tapioca or tapioca flour, best for very juicy fruits. Tapioca turns clear and glossy with somewhat sticky texture. The downside is that tapioca doesn't really work in a very high heat, instead it provides a better thickener in low to no heat as Stella Parks explained in serious eats.
- Cornstarch is more effective thickener. It lends a matte cloudy, semi-transparent look to filling. In order to get its full potential, cornstarch needs to rich boiling, otherwise you will get a starchy taste. Make sure when you use this for pie, filling must be bubling up through the crust or toppings.
- Instant clearjel keeps filling thick through a great range of temperatures, making it ideal for pie that are frozen, before or after baking.
- Pie filling enhancer thickens fruit pie fillings the same as instant clearjel. It has added ascorbic acid and superfine sugar( consist of half a sugar in every amount use).
To sum this up, I only use Tapioca and cornstarch in any dishes I make; from soups to pies.
Get the best of the worlds: "Juices thicken with both cornstarch and tapioca become satiny and smooth", an appealing combinations.
Pastry chef Laureen Chattman1
Oats and almond struesel, and flavors
Nutmeg , when combined with the dreamy combination of butter, sugar, flour, hearty old-fashioned oats, and sliced almonds that crisp up during baking will provide an intensely flavorful combination.
Lemon is the lover of fruit, a perfect salt of the fruit world. Lemon Zest, enhances the fruit flavor of strawberry and rhubarb
How to make oats and almond streusel?
This streusel is made of :
- Cold and cubbed butter
- Light brown sugar
- Flour
- Old fashioned oats
- Sliced almond
- Freshly grated nutmeg
Place flour, sugar, salt, nutmeg, and butter, and pulse until it resembles a pea-like crumb.
There should be visible pieces of butter.
Combine the butter crumbs with the rest of the ingredients.
.
Tips from King arthur baking guide:
> Fresh farmer's market fruit especially berries, tends to be juicier than the fruit you buy at the grocery store. Adjust the thickener accordingly.
> Thickener requires a little less when your making streusel or lattice topped pies because the liquid evaporates more quickly than pies with solid top crust.
>To prevent filling from clumping, mix thickener with the sugar before adding to the fruit.
Finally,
Nicely crimped edges of homemade All-purpose pie crust in a glass pie dish, that is looking pretty, as it holds up the edges of a single-crust pie so that it will not slump during baking; filled with bright strawberry and rhubarb and then topped with crisp, nutty and buttery toppings. It is absolutely the best strawberry-rhubarb pie crisp.
How to make the best strawberry rhubarb pie crisp?
Equipment
- 9" Pie dish, Standing mixer
Ingredients
All-purpose pie crust/ Cut in half and save the other half for another recipe.
ALMOND AND OATS TOPPING:
- 32 grams | ¼ Cup All purpose flour
- 100 grams | ½ Cup Light brown sugar
- ¼ teaspoon Salt
- 113 grams | ½ Cup Butter, chilled
- 80 grams | 1 cup Old fashioned rolled oats
- 35 grams | ½ cup Sliced almond
- ½ teaspoon Grated nutmeg (optional)
FILLING:
- 435 grams | about 3 cups Strawberry, hulled and quartered
- 454 grams | about 3 cups Rhubarb, sliced into ½-inch
- 150 grams | ¾ cup Granulated Sugar
- 23 grams | 2 tablespoons Quick-cooking tapioca or 3 tablespoons /15 grams, tapioca flour
- 25 grams | 3 tablespoon cornstarch
- 6 grams | 1 tablespoon lemon zest
Instructions
- Preheat the oven to 375°F.
CRUST:
- Roll the chilled dough to twelve-inch in diameter. Roll the dough over your rolling pin then unroll centering over the dish. Gently press the bottom and sides to conform to the shape of the pie dish. Tuck in any excess dough in and under towards the dish as you crimp the dough.
- To crimp the dough, make a "V" with two fingers on one hand on the outside of the dough and the index finger on the other hand, to make an indent opposite in between the 'V".
- Put it back in the fridge while preparing the filling.
MAKE THE TOPPINGS:
- Using a food processor, add the flour, sugar, salt, nutmeg, and cubed butter. Pulse until the butter creates fine crumbs. Transfer into a medium-size bowl and add the oats and almonds. Stir to combine
- Using the largest hole of the grater box, Butter must be kept whole and at least in the freeze for 30 minutes. Grated using the large hole. Add with the rest of the ingredients and stir to fully combine.
FILLING:
- Combine the rhubarb and strawberry in a large bowl. In another bowl, combine tapioca, corn starch, sugar, and lemon zest, whisk to combine then add with the fruits and stir to incorporate.
ASSEMBLY:
- Pour the filling into the prepared pie crust. Generously scatter the toppings. Place pie at the bottom shelf of the oven and bake for 50 minutes or until the pie is bubbling and the toppings are nicely brown.
- Let it cool for at least an hour or more before slicing.⅐
Notes
- For the toppings, use pecans or walnuts or add an extra ½ cup of oats if almond is not available
- Use 7 tablespoons of corn starch if not using Tapioca.
- Use 5 tablespoons of quick-cooking tapioca or 7 and ½ tablespoons tapioca flour.
- When using frozen rhubarb and strawberry, add an extra tablespoon of each of the thickeners.
NUTRITION FACTS
Reference: https://www.washingtonpost.com/food/2021/02/22/cornstarch-tapioca-starches-thickening/
https://www.kingarthurbaking.com/learn/guides/pie-thickener