Rhubarb is a wonderful springtime fruit to work with, both because of its beautiful pink color and the bright, tangy flavor that it brings to a recipe. Rhubarb is often paired with sweeter fruits, such as strawberries, to balance out its very sharp flavor. Strawberries are a very common pairing, but raspberries also make a fantastic pairing with rhubarb and I used them in this Rhubarb and Raspberry Cobbler.
This cobbler has a mixture of raspberries and rhubarb in the filling. The filling of the finished cobbler has a lovely sweet-tart flavor and a bright red color from the berries. The rhubarb lends an almost lemony flavor to the filling, while the raspberries seem intensely sweet and jammy by comparison. Cobblers can have a variety of different toppings, and this one has a cake-like topping that seems to sop up some of the juice from the filling. A sprinkling of sugar on top gives it a nice crunch (be sure to use a toothpick when checking this cobbler for doneness), and otherwise it is soft and tender, with a hint of vanilla and ginger in it.
Fresh, in-season rhubarb is the best choice for this recipe. Look for rhubarb that is brightly colored and crisp, with unblemished stalks. While rhubarb can actually come in a variety of colors, from pale green to dark red, the redder stalks give a much prettier look to this dish if you have the option of choosing them. The raspberries can be fresh or frozen, and frozen berries do not need to be defrosted before using. Frozen rhubarb tends to come in very large chunks and takes a long time to cook, which is why it is not my idea choice for this cobbler. IF you do opt for both frozen berries and rhubarb, the baking time of this recipe would be extended by about 5-10 minutes to ensure that the topping cooks all the way through (be sure to check with a toothpick before taking it out of the oven).
Rhubarb and Raspberry Cobbler
Filling
16-oz fresh rhubarb, cut into 1/2-inch pieces
12-oz raspberries, fresh or frozen
1/4 cup cornstarch
1/4 cup sugar
Topping
1 cup all purpose flour
1/2 cup sugar
1/4 tsp salt
1 tsp baking powder
1/2 cup buttermilk
1/4 cup butter, melted and cooled
1 1/2 tsp vanilla extract
1/2 tsp ground ginger
1 tbsp coarse sugar, for topping
Preheat oven to 350F.
Combine rhubarb, raspberries, cornstarch and sugar in a large bowl. Toss well and set aside.
In the same bowl you used for the fruit, combine flour, sugar, salt, baking soda, buttermilk, melted butter and vanilla and whisk to combine.
Pour fruit into a 9×9-inch square baking dish or a deep 9-inch pie plate. Dollop batter, which should be like a thick cake batter, over most of the fruit. Batter will spread during baking.
Bake for about 50 minutes, until topping is golden brown and a toothpick inserted into the cake will come out clean. Frozen fruit in the filling may extend the baking time for an additional 5-10 minutes.
Cool for at least 15 minutes before serving.
Serves 6
Sweet Jumbles
April 25, 2012Yum, I love rhubarb – can’t wait to try this out!