Rhubarb Pear Almond Crisp

My first experience making a crumble/crisp was in college and it was unsuccessful to say the very least. My flatmate and I threw in the fruit with nothing added and tossed a bit of graham cracker crumb on top. We ended up with this horrible dry mess we vowed to forget ever happened. Since then, I’ve learned my lesson to not turn up the oven to nearly 500 degrees and to add something to the crumble that will lend just a bit of moisture.

Rhubarb season is my favorite. I love the sweet/tart flavor combination that pretty much goes with everything….at least it does in my mind. The vibrant pink stalks epitomize the Spring season. The bright tartness is everything I love about Spring. I hate that rhubarb season ends so soon. Rhubarb should be a year-round vegetable. (By the way, did you know rhubarb was a vegetable?)

This rhubarb pear almond crisp is going to be your favorite way to celebrate rhubarb season. This sweet, tart, crunchy, dessert is as simple as it is delicious. The sweet pears and the tart rhubarb with the cinnamon crisp and toasted almond. So. Freaking. Scrumptious. No… delectable… heavenly, even. It is light which is perfect for those warm Spring nights when you want to sit outside and watch as the sun goes down later and later in the day. Oh yes, bring on the 7 pm Spring sunsets. (and the 9 and 10 pm Summer sunsets!)

If you want to eat this rhubarb pear almond crisp right out of the cast iron skillet, I won’t tell. In fact, I highly encourage it. So go on, grab a fork and have at it!

Rhubarb Pear Almond Crisp

 

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Ingredients

Filling

• 2 extra large Red Bartlett Pears, sliced
• 4 stalks fresh rhubarb, chopped to ½" pieces
• 1 teaspoon vanilla extract
• ½ cup brown sugar, lightly packed
• ½ cup whole wheat flour
• zest of one lemon
• pinch of sea salt

Almond Crisp

• ½ cup chopped almonds
• ½ cup old fashioned oats
• ¼ cup whole wheat flour
• ¼ cup packed brown sugar
• ¼ teaspoon sea salt
• ⅛ teaspoon nutmeg
• ¼ teaspoon cinnamon
• ⅛ teaspoon almond extract
• 3½ tablespoons chilled unsalted butter, cubed

Instructions

1. Preheat the oven to 350 degrees.
2. Lightly toast the almonds in the oven for about 10 minutes, Set aside.
3. Mix the pears and rhubarb together in a cast iron skillet. Mix in the vanilla extract.
4. In a small bowl, mix the brown sugar, flour, lemon zest and sea salt together. Mix the flour mixture in with the pear mixture.
5. Mix all the ingredients except for the butter in a bowl. Use your hands or a pastry cutter to cut the butter into the oat mixture.
6. Place the crisp over the filling and bake in the oven for about 40 - 50 minutes, or until the filling is bubbling and the pears are tender.

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