Spice in the Kitchen: Gluten-free Pear Rhubarb Crumble

Necessity is the mother of all (ok, some) recipes. Like today, I had four pears just loitering on my counter and two bored pieces of rhubarb, so I decided to give them something to do. Crumbles are a great way to quickly use up fruit that is almost on its way to the compost pile. Even though I am not gluten-free, I like to challenge myself and create recipes for my gluten-free family and friends. If you are a gluten lover, then use flour by all means (see note). The rhubarb adds a nice tangy flavor to contrast the sweetness of the pears.

Gluten-free Pear Rhubarb Crumble Recipe (vegan, gluten-free, dur!)
serves 4

Ingredients


Filling:

• 4 pears
• 2 small stalk of rhubarb (or one very large one)
• 1 TB brown sugar
• 2 TB lemon juice
• 1 tsp cinnamon
• 1 tsp vanilla

Crumble:

• 1 cup almond meal (You can make your own by pulsing nuts [walnuts or almonds] in a food processor.)
• 1/2 cup gluten-free baking mix (-or 3/4 cup AP flour & only 3/4 cup of the almond meal if not making gluten free)
• 1/2 cup gluten-free oats (-or old fashioned if not gluten-free)
• 1/2 cup light brown sugar
• 1/2 cup Earth Balance (-or butter if not vegan. If you want to cut down on the calories and fat, just use 1/4 cup, but the crumble will be a bit drier.)
• 1/4 tsp cinnamon

Directions

1. Preheat oven to 350.
2. Cut peeled pears and rhubarb in chunks (make the rhubarb slightly smaller, specially if your pears are super ripe).
3. Coat an 8x8 pan with oil or Earth Balance.
4. Combine all ingredients for filling a medium bowl and then transfer to baking dish.
5. Combine crumble ingredients and mix with your hands. Grab a handful, squueze together and crumble on top of filling. Repeat until all the crumble is used.
6. Place in oven and bake for 30-40 minutes or until the top is lightly browned. Let cool for about 15-20 minutes before serving. Of course, it plays nicely with vanilla ice cream.

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Fabric: Sara Lee Parker; Flying Geese print fabric