Strawberry Rhubarb Bars: The Perfect Blend of Sweet and Tart
The Perfect Harmony of Flavors: These gluten free strawberry rhubarb bars are a true testament to the art of balancing contrasting tastes. The sweet, juicy strawberries lend their vibrant red color and luscious sweetness, while the rhubarb adds a tangy punch that cuts through the sweetness, providing a perfect balance. A touch of salt brings everything together making for an irresistible treat.
A Textural Delight
Aside from the tantalizing flavors, strawberry rhubarb bars also offer a delightful textural experience. The base and crumbly topping provide a buttery and slightly crunchy contrast to the soft, juicy fruit filling. With each bite, you’ll experience a delightful combination of textures that further enhances the overall enjoyment of this dessert.
Learning More About Rhubarb
If you’re curious to learn more about rhubarb, the unique vegetable that adds a distinctive tartness to these bars, you can explore further information on its history, cultivation, and culinary uses. Click here to discover fascinating facts and gain a deeper understanding of this intriguing plant.
A Word About Gluten Free Flours
As with all of my recipes, this recipe is designed to work with ready made 1:1 (cup for cup) gluten free flour blends. You can choose from one of the many available in stores and online or you can make your own using one of my recipes which you can find by clicking here.
Bonus
The filling recipe makes enough for two batches and freezes well. It is also delicious as a topping for yogurt or ice cream.
Ingredients
- 260 grams 1:1 gluten free flour
- 140 grams rolled oats
- 1 teaspoon salt I prefer kosher salt
- 100 grams granulated sugar
- 150 grams light brown sugar
- 280 grams unsalted butter – very cold can sub vegan butter*
- 30 grams egg yolk approx.. 1.5 yolks
- 2 teaspoons pure vanilla extract
- 450 grams strawberry rhubarb filling
Filling
- 450 g fresh rhubarb diced into 1/2-inch pieces
- 450 g fresh strawberries hulled and halved or quartered
- 200 g granulated sugar
- 1 tablespoons lemon juice can use water
- 3 tablespoon cornstarch
- 1/2 teaspoon vanilla extract
Instructions
Make the filling
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In a medium-sized saucepan, combine the diced rhubarb, strawberries, granulated sugar, lemon juice, cornstarch, and vanilla extract. Stir well to combine and ensure the sugar and cornstarch are evenly mixed.
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Place the saucepan over medium heat and bring the mixture to a simmer, stirring occasionally. As the mixture heats up, the fruits will release their juices and the mixture will start to thicken.
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Once the mixture reaches a simmer, reduce the heat to low and continue cooking for about 10-15 minutes, stirring occasionally. The rhubarb should become tender, and the mixture will thicken to a glossy consistency.
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Remove the saucepan from the heat and let the strawberry rhubarb filling cool completely. As it cools, it will continue to thicken. It will cool faster if you transfer it to a bowl.
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Preheat the oven to 350 F.
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Grease a 13 x 9 x 2-inch metal pan with cooking spray or softened butter and line with parchment. Let the parchment paper hang over the long sides of the pan to make it easier to remove the bars for slicing when baked.
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To make the crust and topping, combine the flour, oats, salt, and sugar in a large bowl and whisk until incorporated.
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Grate the the cold butter and using a box grater or food processor with the shredding attachment, toss the butter into the flour mixture, rub gently if needed, until the butter is crumbly and pea-sized.
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Mix the yolk and vanilla together and, using a fork, stir them into the crumbly mixture. Switch to your fingers if you feel comfortable, and continue mixing the dough until the yolk and vanilla are fully incorporated and the dough holds together when you squeeze a bit between your fingers.
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Remove 330 grams of dough and place in a medium bowl in the refrigerator. Press the remaining dough firmly and uniformly into the prepared pan.
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Evenly spread the cooled filling over the bottom crust.
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Sprinkle the refrigerated dough over the jam, breaking it into little balls between your fingers for the ultimate crumble topping.
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Bake the bars for about 45 minutes, rotating the pan at the halfway mark, until the oat crumb topping is lightly browned.
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Let cool to room temperature before slicing and serving. Use the parchment paper to help lift the bars out of the pan to slice.
Recipe Notes
*If using vegan butter you may need to freeze it for a short time to make grating it possible. My favorite vegan butter is Miyokos.
The filling recipe makes enough for two batches and freezes well. It is also delicious as a topping for yogurt or ice cream.