Last week I showed you some of my favorite rhubarb recipes in my “Best of Rhubarb Recipes” article. Just in case you want more, I got a delicious and really simple new rhubarb recipe for your: Rhubarb Shortbread Streusel Bars. Delicious rhubarb filling meets crunchy streusel – one of the best combinations out there. You should really give it a try!
I am a total rhubarb fanboy. As soon as the season starts here in Germany, I have rhubarb at home in the fridge constantly. Sometimes to make a simple rhubarb compote only, sometimes to make a quick traybake with rhubarb – that traybake looks pretty similar to these shortbread bars here actually – just without the streusel. In case you want to feed a larger crowd you might want to try that one ;)
If somebody in your family is not that big of a fan of rhubarb, you can make these shortbread streusel bars with other fruits and berries as well. Cherries work well, plums, or apples – all nice additions. Cut everything into small pieces and place it on the streusel base – most fruits or berries don’t need the marinating step. But it won’t hurt either ;P
By the way – if you have some rhubarb leftover you can freeze that perfectly. A good way to extend the rhubarb season throughout the year ;)
Freezing rhubarb – this is how it works!
1. Wash and dry the rhubarb, cut off the green leaves and hard ends, peel off any spots that look damaged.
2. Cut the rhubarb into small pieces. If you have an idea already on how to use the rhubarb later on, you can cut it into the size you need, besides that, I recommend just cutting it into small dices which can be used for most recipes.
3. Make small batches, weigh them and place them in a freezer bag or container suitable for freezing. If you need it later on, you already have the right amount or can use several batches together. You can also freeze everything in one big bag or container, but then it might freeze into one big block and you have to break it apart later on.
4. Rhubarb will stay “fresh” for up to a year in the freezer. After thawing, you can use the veggies as you would use fresh rhubarb. For short-term storage, it’s best to wrap the stalks in a damp cloth and place them in the fridge – this should keep them nice and crunchy for up to a week.
INGREDIENTS / ZUTATEN
For the filling:
12 oz. (350g) rhubarb, cleaned and diced
1.8 oz. (50g) raspberries, smashed
1 tbsp. lemon juice
1/2 cup (100g) sugar
1/4 cup (30g) all-purpose flour
For the streusel:
2 cups (250g) all-purpose flour
1/2 cup (100g) sugar
1/2 tsp. salt
1 cup (230g) butter, in small pieces
1 tsp. vanilla extract
For the glaze (optional):
3.5 oz. (100g) confectioners’ sugar
2-3 tsp. milk, more or less to taste
1/2 tsp. vanilla
Für die Füllung:
350g Rhabarber, geputzt & gewürfelt
50g Himbeeren, zerdrückt
1 EL Zitronensaft
100g Zucker
30g Mehl (Type 550)
Für die Streusel:
250g Mehl (Type 550)
100g Zucker
1/2 TL Salz
230g Butter, in kleinen Stücken
1 TL Vanille Extrakt
Für die Glasur (optional):
100g Puderzucker
2-3 TL Milch, ggf. etwas mehr
1/2 TL Vanille Extrakt
DIRECTIONS / ZUBEREITUNG
2. While the rhubarb is marinating prepare the streusel. Line a 9×9 inches (22x22cm) square baking tin with some baking parchment and set aside. Add flour, sugar, and salt to a large bowl and mix to combine. Add the butter in small pieces as well as the vanilla extract and mix everything with your hands until you get different sized streusel – make sure there is no more flour on the bottom of the bowl. Take a little bit more than half of the streusel and transfer it to the prepared baking tin. Press to the bottom and into the corners to get one even layer, prick several times with a fork. Place with the remaining streusel in the fridge until the rhubarb is ready – at least 20 minutes.
3. Preheat the oven to 375°F (190°C). Bake the crust for about 15 minutes until it gets some color around the edges. Take out of the oven and lower the temperature to 350°F (180°C). Let cool down for a bit.
4. Drain the rhubarb if there is a lot of liquid – some is ok though. Add the lemon juice and sugar and mix to combine. Sprinkle the flour on top and mix until all is well combined. Pour that filling on top of the baked crust and spread evenly. Sprinkle with the streusel from the fridge and bake for 40-50 minutes or until the streusel have a nice golden color and the filling is bubbly. Take out of the oven and let cool down completely before removing it from the tin.
5. If you want to add the glaze on top (optional), mix the confectioners’ sugar with 1 tsp. of the milk and the vanilla extract and add more milk until the consistency is nice and thick and not too runny. Drizzle over the rhubarb bars and let harden/dry before slicing.
2. Während der Rhabarber mariniert, die Streusel zubereiten. Eine quadratische Backform (22x22cm/9×9 inches) mit Backpapier auslegen und zur Seite stellen. Mehl, Zucker und Salz in eine große Schüssel geben und vermischen. Die Butter in kleinen Stücken dazugeben, ebenfalls den Vanille Extrakt und alles mit den Fingern zu Streuseln verarbeiten. Auf dem Boden der Schüssel sollte kein Mehl mehr sichtbar sein. Etwa die Hälfte der Streusel in die vorbereitete Form füllen und dann zu einer Schicht zusammendrücken. Mehrmals mit einer Gabel einstechen und dann die Form zusammen mit den restlichen Streuseln in den Kühlschrank stellen, bis der Rhabarber durchgezogen ist – es sollten mindestens 20 Minuten sein.
3. Den Ofen auf 190°C (375°F) vorheizen. Die Backform in den Ofen stellen und den Boden etwa 15 Minuten backen, bis er an den Rändern etwas Farbe bekommen hat. Aus dem Ofen nehmen und die Temperatur des Ofens auf 180°C (350°F) reduzieren. Den Boden etwas abkühlen lassen.
4. Sollte sich sehr viel Flüssigkeit in der Schüssel mit dem Rhabarber angesammelt haben, ein wenig davon abgießen. Zitronensaft und den restlichen Zucker dazugeben und vermischen. Das Mehl dazugeben und alles gut vermischen. Diese Masse auf dem vorgebackenen Boden verteilen und dann die Streusel aus dem Kühlschrank darüber streuen. Für etwa 40-50 Minuten backen, bis die Streusel Farbe bekommen haben und die Füllung zwischen den Streuseln blubbert. Aus dem Ofen holen und komplett abkühlen lassen – erst dann aus der Form lösen.
5. Wer eine Glasur auf den Shortbread Bars möchte (optional), kann dann einfach den Puderzucker mit etwas von der Milch und dem Vanille Extrakt vermischen und je nach Bedarf noch mehr Milch dazugeben, bis eine dickflüssige Masse entsteht. Das Backwerk damit beträufeln und bis zum Anschneiden trocknen lassen.
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Here is a version of the recipe you can print easily.
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Rhubarb Shortbread Streusel Bars
- Prep Time: 00:15
- Cook Time: 00:45
- Total Time: 01:30
- Yield: 9 1x
- Category: Cakes
- Cuisine: Great Britain
Description
My absolute favorite in spring: Rhubarb Shortbread Bars with Streusel Topping. So fresh and delicious!
Ingredients
For the filling:
12 oz. (350g) rhubarb, cleaned and diced
1.8 oz. (50g) raspberries, smashed
1 tbsp. lemon juice
1/2 cup (100g) sugar
1/4 cup (30g) all-purpose flour
For the streusel:
2 cups (250g) all-purpose flour
1/2 cup (100g) sugar
1/2 tsp. salt
1 cup (230g) butter, in small pieces
1 tsp. vanilla extract
For the glaze (optional):
3.5 oz. (100g) confectioners’ sugar
2–3 tsp. milk, more or less to taste
1/2 tsp. vanilla
Instructions
1. Start with marinating the rhubarb. Wash and dry the rhubarb and cut into small dices. Add together with the smashed raspberries to a bowl and mix with 2 tbsp. of the sugar – cover and let sit for about 1 hour.
2. While the rhubarb is marinating prepare the streusel. Line a 9×9 inches (22x22cm) square baking tin with some baking parchment and set aside. Add flour, sugar, and salt to a large bowl and mix to combine. Add the butter in small pieces as well as the vanilla extract and mix everything with your hands until you get different sized streusel – make sure there is no more flour on the bottom of the bowl. Take a little bit more than half of the streusel and transfer it to the prepared baking tin. Press to the bottom and into the corners to get one even layer, prick several times with a fork. Place with the remaining streusel in the fridge until the rhubarb is ready – at least 20 minutes.
3. Preheat the oven to 375°F (190°C). Bake the crust for about 15 minutes until it gets some color around the edges. Take out of the oven and lower the temperature to 350°F (180°C). Let cool down for a bit.
4. Drain the rhubarb if there is a lot of liquid – some is ok though. Add the lemon juice and sugar and mix to combine. Sprinkle the flour on top and mix until all is well combined. Pour that filling on top of the baked crust and spread evenly. Sprinkle with the streusel from the fridge and bake for 40-50 minutes or until the streusel have a nice golden color and the filling is bubbly. Take out of the oven and let cool down completely before removing it from the tin.
5. If you want to add the glaze on top (optional), mix the confectioners’ sugar with 1 tsp. of the milk and the vanilla extract and add more milk until the consistency is nice and thick and not too runny. Drizzle over the rhubarb bars and let harden/dry before slicing.
Notes
Enjoy baking!
I love my job, but in between I love to bake and try new things in the kitchen. A lot of my friends and colleagues encourage me to bake - for a very simple reason: they get the leftovers - and it seems they like it most of the time ;) 
Habe ich heute gemacht und eben ein Stück probiert. Ist sehr, sehr lecker
Freut mich! :)
VG Marc