Rhubarb cobbler: It’s sweet to be tart
I admit it. I love the thrill of sour flavors, especially if they are balanced with sweetness. Rhubarb cobbler remains once of my favorite simple desserts, its sour flavor profile tamed with sugar, and topped with a simple biscuitlike crown. I love it plain, just out of the oven when it’s just cool enough to eat, or lukewarm, served with vanilla ice cream.
Rhubarb is generally available April through July. It freezes well, so although I consider this cobbler one of the benchmarks of spring, frozen rhubarb can be utilized year-round.
Although rhubarb is a vegetable, it is most often used like fruit in pies and cobblers, crumbles and cakes.
Rhubarb Cobbler Yield: 6 servings INGREDIENTS
1 1⁄2 pounds fresh or frozen rhubarb stalks, thawed if using frozen, cut into 1-inch chunks, about 6 cups; see cook’s notes
Butter for greasing pan 1cup granulated sugar, divided use
1 cup all-purpose flour, plus
1 tablespoon, divided use
1 teaspoon baking powder 1⁄2 teaspoon baking soda
4t ablespoons (1⁄2 stick) cold butter, cut into small pieces
2⁄3 cup buttermilk (shake container before measuring) For serving: vanilla ice cream
Cook’s notes: Only the rhubarb stalks are edible. The leaves are considered toxic due to their high concentration of oxalic acid.
PROCEDURE
1: Adjust oven rack to middle position. Preheat to 425 degrees. Generously butter a 2-quart, shallow baking dish or a 10-inch pie plate. Place the rhubarb chunks in the prepared baking dish and sprinkle with 3⁄4 cup sugar and 1 tablespoon flour. Use a fork or your hands to toss and mix the fruit, sugar and flour. Spread it out evenly. Bake for 10minutes.
2: Meanwhile, in a food processor, combine 3tablespoons sugar, 1 cup flour, baking powder and baking soda; whirl 10 seconds or so to combine. Add pieces of cold butter; pulse to make coarse crumbs. With motor running, add buttermilk and process until a soft dough is formed, about 6 seconds.
3: Remove the fruit from the oven and drop the dough from a spoon on top of the hot fruit to make 6 mounds. Sprinkle dough with remaining 1 tablespoon sugar and bake until fruit is bubbly and topping is golden brown, about 20-25 minutes. Serve warm.