Rhubarb Desserts

I can not remember ever being able to pick fresh rhubarb in the middle of May here in northern Alberta, Canada. We are definitely seeing some serious changes in the weather.

I love everything about the plant — how good it tastes, the beautiful huge foliage in the garden and how it can keep on producing all season long. The uses of rhubarb are endless. For most part, I think it is usually thought of as a dessert ingredient. I tried making it into a spicy chutney with pork tenderloin for supper one night and it was real nice.

Bordering one side of my mother’s large country garden grew six or eight rhubarb plants. I can’t even imagine how much they would produce. I recall that special taste of her Saskatoon-Rhubarb Pie. Saskatoon berries grew wild in the foothills of the Rocky Mountains. This was a good reason for our family to pack a picnic lunch and make the drive on a Sunday afternoon to pick saskatoon berries. Not only did it make for quality family time but those fresh berries were soooo– good!.

Here are a couple of dessert recipes I made with some of my first rhubarb stalks of this season. One is Rhubarb-Blueberry Cobbler, an old fashioned baked dessert with a tender biscuit crust sprinkled with sugar. The other one is Rhubarb-Orange Cheesecake Parfait.   If a rhubarb plant isn’t growing somewhere in your back yard you can usually locate some at a neighborhood Farmer’s Market throughout the summer.

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Rhubarb Desserts

Enjoy a little rhubarb nostalgia in two different presentations.

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Servings

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Ingredients

Rhubarb-Blueberry Cobbler

• 4 cups fresh rhubarb, chopped
• 2 cups blueberries
• 3/4 cup sugar
• 3 Tbsp cornstarch
• 1/4 cup cold water
• 1 1/2 cups flour
• 1 Tbsp baking powder
• 1 Tbsp sugar
• 1/4 tsp salt
• 1/3 cup margarine
• 1/2 cup milk
• 1 egg, well beaten
• 2 Tbsps brown sugar

Rhubarb-Orange Cheesecake Parfaits

• 18 gingersnap cookies, coarsely crushed
• 8 (340g) stalks fresh rhubarb, chopped
• 6 Tbsps water
• 1/2 cup sugar (or to suit your taste)
• 1/4 CUP Cointreau liqueur (optional)
• 2 Tbsps cornstarch
• 85 grams orange Jell-o powder
• 2/3 cup boiling water
• 500 grams cream cheese, softened
• 1/2 cup orange juice
• 1 small orange, zest of
• 2 cups (140g) Cool Whip topping, thawed

Servings MetricUS Imperial Ingredients Rhubarb-Blueberry Cobbler 4 cups fresh rhubarb, chopped 2 cups blueberries 3/4 cup sugar 3 Tbsp cornstarch 1/4 cup cold water 1 1/2 cups flour 1 Tbsp baking powder 1 Tbsp sugar 1/4 tsp salt 1/3 cup margarine 1/2 cup milk 1 egg, well beaten 2 Tbsps brown sugar Rhubarb-Orange Cheesecake Parfaits 18 gingersnap cookies, coarsely crushed 8 (340g) stalks fresh rhubarb, chopped 6 Tbsps water 1/2 cup sugar (or to suit your taste) 1/4 CUP Cointreau liqueur (optional) 2 Tbsps cornstarch 85 grams orange Jell-o powder 2/3 cup boiling water 500 grams cream cheese, softened 1/2 cup orange juice 1 small orange, zest of 2 cups (140g) Cool Whip topping, thawed

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Instructions

Rhubarb-Blueberry Cobbler

1. Preheat oven to 375 F.
2. Mix chopped rhubarb & blueberries together in a large saucepan. Blend sugar & cornstarch together & stir into the fruit mixture. Stir in 1/4 cup cold water.
3. Place on medium heat & bring to a boil, then reduce heat to low & cook until juices flow & fruit is soft. Pour into an 8-cup casserole dish.
4. In a large bowl, combine flour, baking powder, 1 Tbsp sugar & salt. Blend well. Cut in margarine with a pastry cutter until mixture is a coarse texture. In another bowl blend milk & egg.
5. Make a well in center of flour mixture; add milk/egg mixture & stir until flour is moistened. Drop dough by spoonfuls onto the fruit mixture. Sprinkle with brown sugar evenly. Bake about 25-30 minutes. Serve plain or with a dollop of yogurt or whipped cream.

Rhubarb-Orange Cheesecake Parfaits

1. In a plastic bag, coarsely crush gingersnap cookies; set aside.
2. Chop rhubarb stalks & place in saucepan with water. Cook over low heat until soft. Remove rhubarb from heat. Add sugar, Cointreau & cornstarch; mix well. Return to heat & stir until thickened; cool completely.
3. In a large glass bowl, dissolve jelly powder & boiling water, making sure it is completely dissolved before adding to cream cheese. Blend in cream cheese with a hand mixer on low speed. Whisk in juice & zest of orange as well as the Cool Whip.
4. In parfait glasses, spoon a layer of cream cheese mixture; sprinkle lightly with gingersnap crumbs then add a layer of rhubarb sauce. Repeat layers one more time making sure to divide cheesecake, rhubarb sauce & crumbs evenly between parfaits ending with cheesecake mixture.
5. Refrigerate about 4 hours; garnish a bit more orange zest & a fresh mint leaf if desired.