Hooray for rhubarb season! I can’t think of a better way to celebrate than with a sweet rhubarb crisp recipe. Stewed diced rhubarb spiced with rose water, orange zest and allspice topped with crispy oats–hold the strawberries, we don’t need them here! This is my plea to make a rhubarb dessert without strawberries once in your life! I know rhubarb and strawberries go great together, but I think we can find the sweetness rhubarb needs in other ways–less expected ways. I add a bit more sugar to my rhubarb crisp recipe, plus orange zest which rounds out the sweetness. The rose water is my secret nod to strawberries, because you know I love rose water in my strawberry desserts. Have you made my mini strawberry tart for two ? It has a rough puff pastry crust and is full of strawberries and rose water–so good!
Rhubarb crisp recipe for two:
But, back to this rhubarb crisp recipe for two. It’s made in two small ramekins, but you can absolutely scale it up and bake it in a larger dish. My friend brought me these ramekins back from France, and they make me endlessly happy! Fruit crisps are meant to be enjoyed the day they are made. If they are re-heated the following day, the topping will lose its crispness. This is one reason a fruit crisp that only makes 2 servings is perfect.
I often find that rhubarb desserts fail to have a flavor profile that elevates above sour or tart. The addition of allspice, orange zest and rose water in this recipe balance out the tartness of the rhubarb. If you do not have rose water, substitute a ½ teaspoon of vanilla. I used 2 medium-thick stalks of rhubarb to yield 1 ¼ cup of diced fruit.
Pack the filling tightly into 2 6-ounce ramekins. In another bowl, stir together all ingredients for the topping. Pack the mixture on top of the fruit. Place the ramekins on a cookie sheet then bake at 400° for 20-25 minutes, until the filling is bubbling and the topping is golden brown and crisp.
