I couldn’t resist making this when I saw the rhubarb sending up its beautiful pink stems! This combination is classic, a very interesting flavour results from these two fruits baked together. This is a medium sugar content recipe but you could add more if serving children. The amounts here are to fill a Nicholas Mosse Pottery classic pie dish, serving 8 to 10. Set oven to 425F.
Fruit base:
3 lbs strawberry
4 cups rhubarb
1 1/4 cups plain sugar
1/2 cup white flour
2 tbsps cornstarch
Cut rhubarb into chunks to match your strawberry size. Mix two fruits together and then sprinkle with the mixed and sifted dry ingredients and coat well. Let sit for 20 or 30 minutes while you make the topping.
Crumble topping:
1 1/2 cups flour, plain
2/3 cup demerara sugar (or light brown or even plain sugar)
1 teaspoon cinnamon
1/2 teaspoon salt
10 ounces butter
Nuts or oats or something else you love or have that’s crunchy a handful
or (two) (optional)
Mix dry ingredients and then chop in the butter and work with your hands to turn it into a lumpy mixture. You want to make sure that the topping looks a bit lumpy but all integrated.
Fill the pie dish with the fruit, cover with the topping, pop into the oven and bake for 40 minutes. Maybe check after 30 and if top is browning well, stick a sheet of tin foil over the top and finish off that way. You will have a lovely crunchy, gooey, fragrant, pink pudding to serve with cream or ice cream.
Susan Mosse