Rhubarb Crunch

This is a crisp-like dessert, but it stays in firm squares better than crisps do, and it's really yummy. The recipe came from my mother, who got it from her sister.

Topping:

• 1 cup flour
• 3/4 cup oats (uncooked)
• 1 cup packed brown sugar
• 1/2 cup melted butter
• 1 teaspoon cinnamon

Fruit:

• 4 cups fresh rhubarb sliced in one-inch pieces
• 1 cup sugar
• 2 tablespoons cornstarch
• 1 cup water
• 1 teaspoon vanilla

1. Preheat oven to 350F.

2. Mix topping ingredients until crumbly. Press half of mixture flat in the bottom of a 9-inch square baking pan. Cover evenly with the rhubarb pieces.

3. Combine sugar, cornstarch, water. Cook until thick and clear; remove from heat and stir in vanilla. Pour over rhubarb.

4. Sprinkle the remainingg crumb mixture evenly over the top of the fruit.

5. Bake at 350F for one hour. Cut in squares and serve warm with whipped cream or ice cream. Makes 9 servings.

Notes: This can be doubled and baked in a 9x13 inch pan as in the photo. It also works well with various whole flours, like as rye or buckwheat. I usually thicken the fruit with quick cooking tapioca instead of cornstarch, since I'm allergic to corn. I let the tapioca (2 tablespoons, just like the cornstarch), water and sugar sit for 5 minutes, and then cook the mixture until thickened, then remove it from the heat and add vanilla.

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Other rhubarb recipes:

• Strawberry Rhubarb Jam
• Crumb Topped Strawberry Rhubarb Pie
  

Do you have a favorite rhubarb recipe?

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