Strawberry Rhubarb Crumble with Mascarpone Whipped Cream

July 2, 2020

It’s the most wonderful time of the year! Strawberries signify the beginning of the fruit harvest season, and so I find myself spending all of winter and spring brainstorming ways to use these sweet, red berries. This year, I went with a fairly traditional pairing, and decided to make a classic strawberry rhubarb crumble.

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This recipe is fairly close to a true crumble, which means that there is a fruit filling topped with streusel that doesn’t contain any oats (that would be a crisp). See my fruit bake breakdown to learn about all the differences in these types of dishes. In this case, I decided to add a little bit of the streusel in with the filling, for some extra texture.

What You Need to Get Started

You can easily find all of the ingredients for this strawberry rhubarb crumble at your grocery store. If you want to use curbside pick-up or home delivery, check out Instacart to shop online from your favorite local grocery store.

Produce: Strawberries, Rhubarb
Fridge: Butter, Heavy cream, Mascarpone cheese
Pantry: Cornstarch, Flour, Brown sugar, Granulated sugar
Spice Cabinet: Vanilla extract, Cinnamon, Allspice, Salt
Equipment: Mixing bowls, 8×8 Baking pan, 16oz Mason jars, Hand mixer with whisk attachment

Let’s Make a Strawberry Rhubarb Crumble

Before you start cooking, you will need to preheat the oven and prepare the fruit by washing it thoroughly. Strawberries grow very close to the ground, and often have bits of dirt on them. Then remove the hulls of the berries. I like to use a sharp knife, so I can thinly slice off the top without losing too much fruit.

For larger berries (over 1.5-inches), cut them into quarters. Medium sized berries (around one inch) can be halved. And if you have any super tiny berries (like under half an inch) leave them whole. Cut the rhubarb into slices that are about 1/4-1/2-inch thick.

Place all the fruit into a large mixing bowl. You should end up with about 7-8 cups total. Feel free to play around with the ratio. More strawberries will make the filling sweeter, and more rhubarb will give it a more tart flavor. Sprinkle with a bit of cornstarch to help with structure, and vanilla for flavor. Then gently toss to combine.

In a medium mixing bowl, you can make the streusel. I like to melt the butter while I’m combining the dry ingredients. Whisk together the flour, brown sugar, white sugar, salt, cinnamon, and allspice. Then add the melted butter.

Mix starting with a spoon, in case the melted butter is hot. Then, once it starts to come together you can switch to using your hands. It’s ready once everything is combined thoroughly, and the texture feels like wet sand, that holds together for a second when you press it, before crumbling.

Take a big handful of this mixture, which is the streusel, and add it into the bowl with the fruit. You’ve already got your hands messy, so use them to toss up the filling and then transfer it all to your 8×8 baking pan, and spread it out. Then dump the rest of the streusel evenly over top.

Bake the crumble for 35-45 minutes. When it’s done, the streusel will appear dry, and the filling will be bubbling throughout, not just on the edges. You may need to move a little streusel out of the way to see if the filling is bubbling in the middle.

Take it out of the oven, and let it cool for at least ten minutes. Trust me, you don’t want to mess with boiling sugar! As it cools, it will also set up, as some of the liquid in the filling solidifies.

While you’re waiting it’s a great time to mix up the mascarpone whipped cream. I love this stuff. I keep it in a jar in my fridge, and when I run out, I like to quickly whip up a new batch. It’s that simple, and perfect for topping fresh berries, oatmeal, ice cream, or scones.

You can use a hand mixer and make it right in a 16-oz mason jar, and then store it in that same jar. Less dishes to wash is always a win, right? Add the cream and mascarpone to the jar (or a bowl), and use the whisk attachment. Start on low to prevent splashing, and then slowly increase the speed to high. Mix until stiff peaks form.

To serve up the crumble, there is no need to get fancy with it. Just use a big spoon, and scoop it out. The recipe says this serves 8, but honestly, that number is pretty flexible. Since you’re not slicing, it’s also easy to give everyone a portion that suits them.

Also, this crumble keeps really nicely in the fridge. To save it for later, simply cover with aluminum foil, and it will keep for 3-4 days. It’s best served warm, so to heat it back up, you can either microwave individual portions for about one minute, or re-bake the whole thing at 350F for 30 minutes, until it’s warmed through.

If you can’t wait, I don’t blame you. Serve up portions right away for some quick gratification, and be sure to share some with friends or family. One of my favorite parts about a crumble is how quick and easy it is to portion out.

That makes this the perfect dessert for any summer party or barbecue. Get patriotic with it by serving it in blue bowls. The red is covered by the fruit, and the white, the whipped cream.

By the way, don’t forget to add a dollop of that tangy mascarpone whipped cream on top of each portion just before serving. If you’re like me, you’ll sneak a little extra cream by topping yours last, and using the serving spoon as your own.

The best early summer treat is this simple and sweet strawberry rhubarb crumble with mascarpone whipped cream!

What is Rhubarb?

The sweetness of strawberries is perfectly complemented by this acidic vegetable. When raw, rhubarb stalks are crisp, similar to a very sour celery, but when cooked, they become a wonderful soft texture that adds a tartness to baked goods like pies and this crumble.

You can use rhubarb on its own without strawberry, but it is most often sweetened with some form of sugar, whether that’s from fruit or not. However, be careful when you are preparing rhubarb to eat only the greenish-red stalks. The leaves are not edible, and are actually poisonous.

How to Serve

I like to enjoy a fruit crumble like this for breakfast or brunch, but it also makes an excellent afternoon snack or dessert after dinner. Honestly, you can eat this any time of day. If you’re making it just to have around the house, store it in the fridge, and scoop out single portions to enjoy.

To make a full meal, a crumble is an excellent choice for the first course of a brunch. Try balancing it with a savory entree like this caramelized onion cheesecake. Or stay on theme with the strawberries by enjoying a caprese salad.

Plus you can’t forget the drinks! For an indulgent breakfast, pair this with a chai white hot chocolate. For something with a bit more of a kick, an amaretto old fashioned will balance the sweetness nicely. Or accentuate the cinnamon flavor with a fun rum cocktail.

Use Up Leftover Ingredients

Fresh, local strawberries are the best ones to use when making these summery ice cream sundaes!
Allspice is my favorite seasoning to use with cinnamon. Try it in these cream cheese oatmeal cookies.
Heavy cream is always useful! Why not use it to make some cannoli cream crepes.

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5 from 4 votes