Rhubarb Crumble with vanilla sauce. Like a poem in vegan.

The sun is not really positioned high in the sky yet, but just a few clouds, what means there should not be any rain shower to be expected.

Although we are not "wimps" when going out on the motorcycle who would be put off by a rain shower on the way, our rain gear and protection clothes are still at home in Turkey. A compromise solution was announced quickly: touring jacket and thermal pants, the helmets are procured new anyway. After many years under the sun, we were not so sure about the visible disintegration of the old helmets.

We decided going in the direction of Osnabrück, where we had announced a tea with friends. The route chosen was passing Beckum, Warendorf, Bad Iburg and Osnabrück, we had driven on community and country roads and had then reached Osnabrück at the appointed time. Tea and cups were already placed on the terrace in the garden when the roommate reached the table with a still steaming clay form: rhubarb crumble with a bowl of vanilla sauce.

Rhubarb - versatile plant from the Himalayas

Rhubarb is native to the Himalayas. Since the 11th century Rheum rhabarbarum, as the rhubarb is called in Latin, imported as  goods from Central Asia or China via the Arabic once was medicine and used in the school of Salerno in Western medicine of the Middle Ages, not as today the stems, but especially the underground roots - especially for the preparation of medicines - were used.

Rhubarb was cultivated in Russia in the 16th century and did not reach other parts of Europe until the 18th century. It came to England via France and the Netherlands, where cultivation has been recorded since 1753. The first commercial cultivation in Germany took place in 1848 in Hamburg-Kirchwerder and spread from north to south.

Rhubarb - not just for medical purposes - also a culinary delight

Today, mainly the petioles - depending on the variety and age of the stems – are peeled and usually cut for further processing. Rhubarb is commonly considered a fruit because of its preparation, although it is actually one of the vegetables. The most famous preparations are jams and compote, both on an industrial scale, and especially for cakes. Well known far beyond the country's borders is the rhubarb cake of the “Kurhaus” in Dangast, where long lines of visitors form queues to enjoy the afternoon coffee with rhubarb cake on the beach. In addition, rhubarb is also processed to juice or must. Rhubarb is rarely used as a vegetable. Rhubarb is popular for its refreshing, spicy-sour taste and low calorie content.

Even in many private gardens rhubarb grows lusciously, sometimes even in spring, as we should experience now. Because it was time to try the fragrant dessert. Time for freshly harvested rhubarb prepared as rhubarb crumble and served with homemade custard.

For the rhubarb crumble:

800 - 1000 g rhubarb
400 g spelled flour Type 630
100 g of tender oatmeal
250 g of sugar, raw sugar or equivalent amount of honey
1 pck of vanilla sugar
1 pinch of salt
250 g of butter, margarine or coconut oil
Almonds for fine decoration

The rhubarb is cleaned, cut into small pieces about one centimeter long, depending on the thickness of the rhubarb stalks.

Put the dough ingredients Flour, oatmeal, honey and coconut oil in a mixing bowl and mix to a dough until the first real crumbles have emerged. Brush a fireproof clay mold with coconut oil or butter and spread the rhubarb and about half of the crumble thinly on the ground. Pull up a small edge. Then spread the remaining sprinkles on top of the rhubarb.

Preheat the oven to 200 ° C and bake the rhubarb crumble on a medium rail for approx. 30 - 35 min.

For the custard:

500 ml of milk or (vanilla) soymilk
20 g starch
30 g of sugar or honey
1 teaspoon vanilla paste or the Mark 1 vanilla pod
1 pinch of salt
Add 30 g of whipped cream or soy cuisine

Mix the ingredients together and use directly, or, if you make the custard first and then later the crumble, simply chill, and occasionally stir, so that no skin forms on top.

Enjoy the Crumble

Please read as well:

Ania´s fast waffle recipe - with cherries and cream
Apple Pie with Crumble - baked in Fendt Saphir Scand