Rhubarb Crumble & Ginger Ice Cream

My oldest memory of rhubarb is eating it straight out of my grandmother’s garden when my brother and I were little. Whenever she would cut fresh stalks of rhubarb to make pie or compote, she would give us each a stalk of rhubarb and a little bowl of sugar to dip it in. We loved the sweet/sour combination and when I think of it now, it was kind of like an old-school Fun Dip!

This recipe is another one from the LCBO’s Food & Wine magazine that I’ve been carrying around for a while with the plan of eventually veganizing it. I’m really happy that I finally got around to making it last week. The fruit’s tangy taste and slight orange scent compliments so nicely with the ginger ice cream, and it would be nice served any time of the year.

As you can tell from my Blueberry Macadamia Crumble and Apple & Plum Crumble posts, I love fruit crumbles (or crisps, as they’re called in the U.S) because the fruit really stands out and there are no pie crusts to make or purchase. Anyone can make a crumble, and you can’t beat the smell of one baking in the oven.

Notes:

• This version is a bit healthier than the original because I’ve replaced the white flour with whole wheat, brown sugar with raw, and butter with coconut oil.
• Unfortunately, we ate this too quickly to get a good shot of the rhubarb part – a compliment to how yummy this was!
• The crumble is great on its own, but the ice cream is so easy to put together and I highly recommend making it if you can…

RECIPE

Rhubarb Crumble with Ginger Ice Cream

• 1 lb (500 g) rhubarb (about 2 cups), cut into 2 inch (5cm) pieces
• 1/4 cup raw sugar
• 1/2 tsp ground ginger
• 1/4 tsp cinnamon
• 1/4 tsp nutmeg
• 1 tbsp grated orange rind
• 1 tbsp coconut oil (solidified)

Topping

• 1/2 cup oats
• 1/2 cup wholewheat (wholemeal) flour
• 1/2 cup raw sugar
• 1/2 tsp kosher salt
• 1/4cup coconut oil (solidified)

Directions

1. Preheat oven to 375F/190C.
2. Combine rhubarb, sugar, ginger, cinnamon, nutmeg, grated orange rind and coconut oil in a bowl. Spoon mixture into 4 greased 1-cup (250 mL) dishes.
3. Combine oats, flour, sugar and salt in a medium bowl. Cut in coconut oil until mixture resembles coarse bread crumbs. Sprinkle generously over fruit.
4. Bake for 30 to 40 minutes or until top is golden and juices are bubbling.

Ginger Ice Cream

• 1 pint vegan vanilla ice cream (I used “So Good” brand)
• 2 tbsp freshly chopped candied ginger, or to taste

Directions

1. Soften ice cream. Mix in candied ginger and refreeze until ready to serve.