Jammy Rhubarb Ginger Crumble

A delightful recipe from Cake From Lucie!

My Saturday “Extras” newsletter is typically reserved for my paid subscribers. Today, I am sending it out for FREE to everyone and really hope you enjoy this recipe as much as I did. Please consider becoming an “Extras” member, which supports my incredible team who makes everything I do—from recipe development to getting these newsletters out the door—possible! I am so grateful to them and you for following along and I hope you enjoy!!! xo Zoë

Lucie’s Beautiful Bakery is now a Book!

One of my favorite stops in NYC is FROM LUCIE, a sweet little cake shop in the East Village, where Lucie Franc de Ferriere offers up whimsical cakes covered in flowers and a rotating display of delightful treats. Her shop is a little jewel box that sits across the street from another frequent stop of mine, the Russian baths, so now I can pick up a slice of cake or an outrageous chocolate chip cookie after a steam bath, as one does.

From Lucie in NYC

While flipping through CAKE FROM LUCIE*, her beautiful new book, you are transported to the countryside in France, where she grew up. She also shares everything she’s learned in her NYC bakery. I was so excited when Lucie announced her book, so that we can all enjoy her stunning creations from our own kitchens. You can bake Lucie’s famous floral cakes, but also canelés, sage sea salt brownies (can’t wait to try that recipe), and even the salted dark chocolate chip cookies (see my photo above). I’ve ordered at her counter more times than I care to admit! There are so many recipes I want to try, but I had to start with this Rhubarb Ginger Crumble.

Rhubarb Ginger Crumble

Lucie’s Rhubarb Ginger Crumble was the obvious choice for my first bake from the book, because my yard is stocked with fresh rhubarb. Her technique of letting the sugar draw the liquid from the stalks, then cooking it, creates a jammy, intense flavor. The rich crumble topping is just the right sweetness to complement the tart rhubarb.

I had just made pistachio ice cream and had one more scoop to melt on top of the still hot crumble. In the book Lucie serves the crumble with rose scented crème anglaise and I had every intention of making the floral custard sauce to enjoy with the rest of the crumble, but Henri was home and he polished it off with nothing but a spoon! That says everything you need to know about this recipe! haha

Zoë’s Rhubarb Tips

• Rhubarb varieties: I’ve tried growing several different types of rhubarb and only the speckled one flourishes in my yard.

  • GREEN: The green rhubarb is prolific and super tart, which makes it great for baking.

  • RED: these stalks can be red throughout or just red on the outside. The red varieties are not as tart and not as big. You may not need quite as much sugar, but only reduce a tiny amount or your dessert may make your mouth pucker. I’ve tried growing “Canada” and “Crimson” with little success. Luckily, I can find them at my local co-op.

  • SPECKLED: this is a mix of the green and red and has a flavor to match, tart, but not as tart as the straight up green. The stalks and leaves are huge, so I cut and freeze it for use during the winter. Remember: the leaves are poisonous. Do not eat them.

• To peel or not to peel your rhubarb: I never do! Having said that, I only use rhubarb that is fresh and picked during the proper season, so it is tender and doesn’t need peeling. This is how you keep the beautiful color.

  • If your stalks of rhubarb are tough or stringy, then you’ll want to peel them.

• Macerate: Letting the sugar and rhubarb sit together for a few hours will release the juices, so your crumble won’t be overly wet when baked.

  • The sugar draws out the liquid, which is then drained off and cooked until it thickens. This means you don’t have to add a bunch of starch to the fruit. Pure flavor, great jammy texture.

• Chill out: Chilling the crumble topping before putting it over the rhubarb and baking it will help it keep its crumbly texture and not just melt from all the butter. Both ways taste great, but the contrast of textures is what levels up a proper crumble or crisp.

Rhubarb Ginger Crumble Recipe:

From Lucie: Crumbles tend not to be the most aesthetically pleasing desserts, but oh my, are they one of the best tasting. This rhubarb and ginger combo is one of my favorites, as the spice of the ginger adds depth and warmth to the rhubarb, which can be a bit tart on its own. Pair with some cold crème anglaise and you’ll be sure to wow your guests—or just yourself!

Though this recipe is simple, it does require refrigerating the rhubarb and sugar for 3 hours. This allows the sugar crystals to fully dissolve and mingle with the rhubarb, creating a vibrant, flavorful syrup at the bottom of the bowl—leftover syrup is perfect for sweetening lemonade.

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