Rhubarb, irises & other pretty spring things

Hello there!

More rhubarb today – we both love it so it’s an easy pick. I always grab it when I see it in the market – you can guarantee I always have some frozen around this time of year… the season is short enough that I get antsy! Ha.

This crisp is jammy and delicious underneath but crispy and nutty up top – it comes together in a snap and is so delicious. As always, it works so well both for breakfast and dessert! I love it with ice cream for dessert, of course, but there is something extra delicious about having it for breakfast too.

In other news, spring has definitely sprung – I love irises, they are one of my favorites.

Keeping it short and sweet today… happy baking!

Hazelnut Crisp with Rhubarb, Raspberry and Ginger

Gluten free and refined sugar free. Perfect for the spring when rhubarb is at the peak of its season. This is fruity and light – great for both breakfast and dinner! I use my 2 quart square 8×8″ baking dish – could also use a deep 9″ pie dish or a casserole of your choice – whatever is deep enough to hold fruit and crispy topping! Serves: 2 for dessert and breakfast the next day or… less greedily… probably 4-7 :) A Wait are Those Cookies original.

For the filling: 

• 4 c rhubarb, chopped*
• 1 c raspberries*
• 1/4 c candied ginger, chopped
• scant 1/4 c maple syrup
• zest of 1 meyer lemon
• juice of 1 meyer lemon (or regular)
• ¼ cup port (or water)
• 2 teaspoons arrowroot starch 

*I just approximate; I use however many it takes to fill my 2 quart, 8×8 baking dish
*I baked straight from frozen; fresh would also be fine

For the crisp: 

• 1 cup old-fashioned oats (use certified gluten-free oats for a gluten-free crisp)
• ½ cup firmly packed hazelnut meal
• ½ cup chopped hazelnuts  
• 1/4 c unsweetened shredded coconut 
• scant 1/4 c maple (or coconut) sugar 
• ¼ teaspoon fine sea salt
• 2 tsp vanilla extract 
• 4 tablespoons unsalted butter, melted
• ¼ cup plain whole milk Greek yogurt 

Preheat the oven to 350. 

Toss chopped rhubarb, raspberries and ginger into your baking dish of choice (my dish is 8×8, 2 qt capacity; 9″ square or 9″ deep pie dish would also be fine). In a liquid measuring cup, whisk together the maple and water/port until combined. Add the lemon juice and zest, arrowroot, cinnamon and allspice, and whisk to combine. Pour the mixture over the fruit and toss to combine. Bake for 20 minutes.

While the filling is baking, make the crisp. In a mixing bowl, stir together the oats, hazelnut meal, chopped hazelnuts, shredded coconut, maple sugar and salt. Mix in the vanilla, melted butter and the yogurt. Stir until everything is mixed thoroughly. 

Once the filling has baked for 20 minutes, stir it and and redistribute evenly in the dish. Plop spoonfuls of the crisp topping evenly over the filling – no need to pack it down. Return the dish to the oven and bake for 25 to 30 more minutes, until the filling is bubbling around the edges and the top is golden.

Let the crisp rest for 5 to 10 minutes before serving. Serve with vanilla ice cream, obviously! Keep leftovers, covered, in the fridge for about 2-3 days (yeah right. It would take some kind of major feat to make it last that long) – the crisp will get softer the more days it sits but is definitely still crispy the next day.