Mary Berry Rhubarb Crumble is made with vibrant pink stems of fresh rhubarb, sweet sugar, and a golden, buttery topping that provides the perfect textural contrast to the soft fruit. The result is a comforting, bubbling dessert where the tartness of the rhubarb cuts through the rich, crunchy demerara crust. It is the ultimate Sunday lunch pudding that celebrates simple, seasonal British produce.
Mary Berry Rhubarb Crumble Ingredients
For the Fruit Base:
- 900g (2 lb) Rhubarb: Trimmed, washed, and cut into 2.5cm (1 inch) chunks. Forced rhubarb (bright pink) makes for a prettier dish, but outdoor rhubarb works perfectly too.
- 175g (6 oz) Granulated or Caster Sugar: The amount can be adjusted slightly depending on how tart the rhubarb is.
- 1 tablespoon Water: Just a splash to help steam the fruit initially.
- 1 teaspoon Ground Ginger: (Optional) Mary often suggests ginger as it pairs beautifully with rhubarb.
For the Crumble Topping:
- 175g (6 oz) Plain Flour: The structural base of the crumb.
- 110g (4 oz) Butter: Cold and cut into small cubes. Using cold butter creates a crumbly texture; melted butter would make a dough.
- 75g (3 oz) Demerara Sugar: Mary prefers demerara for the topping because its large crystals stay crunchy after baking.
How To Make Mary Berry Rhubarb Crumble
- Prepare the fruit: Preheat the oven to 200°C (180°C Fan/400°F/Gas 6). Place the chopped rhubarb chunks into a 1.2-litre (2-pint) shallow ovenproof dish or pie dish.
- Sweeten the base: Sprinkle the granulated (or caster) sugar and the ground ginger (if using) over the rhubarb. Add the tablespoon of water. Toss the fruit lightly with your hands or a spoon to ensure the sugar is evenly distributed. Level the fruit in the dish.
- Rub the butter: Place the plain flour in a large mixing bowl. Add the cubes of cold butter. Using your fingertips, gently rub the butter into the flour until the mixture looks like coarse breadcrumbs. Lift the mixture up high as you rub to aerate it. Shake the bowl occasionally to bring any large lumps of butter to the surface to be rubbed in.
- Add the crunch: Stir the demerara sugar into the crumble mixture. (Do not rub the sugar in, or it will dissolve; you want the crystals to remain whole for crunch).
- Top the crumble: Sprinkle the crumble mixture evenly over the fruit. Do not press it down; keep it loose and fluffy. Run a fork lightly over the top to create a rustic texture.
- Bake the pudding: Place the dish on a baking tray (to catch any bubbling juices). Bake in the preheated oven for 35 to 40 minutes. The crumble is ready when the top is golden brown and the rhubarb juices are bubbling up around the edges (you might hear it singing!).
Recipe Tips
- Rubbing In: When making the topping, stop rubbing while the mixture is still slightly coarse. If you overwork it into fine dust, the topping will be heavy and compact. A few pea-sized bits of butter make for a better texture.
- Sugar Choice: Using demerara sugar in the topping is the “Mary Berry” secret. It gives the finished dish a biscuity crunch that caster sugar doesn’t provide.
- Fruit Texture: Mary puts the rhubarb in raw. Pre-cooking rhubarb often turns it into a puree before it even hits the oven. Baking it raw ensures the chunks keep their shape while becoming tender.
- Seasonal Adjustment: Early forced rhubarb is tender and sweet. Late-season outdoor rhubarb can be stringy and tart, so you may need to increase the sugar in the base to 200g.
What To Serve With Rhubarb Crumble?
A hot crumble demands a cold, creamy contrast. The classic accompaniment is a jug of warm vanilla custard (Bird’s or homemade), but Mary is also fond of serving it with a scoop of high-quality vanilla ice cream which melts into the hot fruit. For a simpler option, cold pouring cream allows the flavor of the rhubarb to shine through without extra sweetness.
How To Store Leftovers Rhubarb Crumble?
- Refrigerate: Allow the crumble to cool completely. Cover the dish with foil and refrigerate for up to 3 days. The topping will soften slightly in the fridge.
- Reheat: To restore the crunch, reheat the crumble in a hot oven (180°C) for 15-20 minutes. Microwaving will heat it efficiently but leave the topping soft.
- Freeze: You can freeze the unbaked crumble. Wrap the dish tightly and freeze for up to 3 months. Bake from frozen, adding 15-20 minutes to the cooking time.
Rhubarb Crumble Nutrition Facts
- Calories: ~420 kcal
- Fat: 16g
- Carbohydrates: 65g
- Protein: 4g
- Nutrition information is estimated per serving based on 6 servings.
FAQs
While Mary’s classic recipe is just flour/butter/sugar, you can absolutely substitute 50g of the flour for rolled oats if you prefer a flapjack-style topping.
This happens if the fruit releases too much steam and the topping is pressed down too hard. Keep the topping loose and fluffy when sprinkling it on to let steam escape.
Yes. Use it straight from frozen. Toss it with the sugar and perhaps an extra tablespoon of flour in the base to absorb the excess water released during thawing.
Try More Recipes:
- Mary Berry Crumble Cheesecake Recipe
- Mary Berry Apple Crumble Muffins Recipe
- Mary Berry Apple and Raspberry Crumble Recipe
Mary Berry Rhubarb Crumble Recipe
Description
A comforting British classic featuring tender tart rhubarb beneath a golden, crunchy demerara crumble topping.
Ingredients
Instructions
- Prepare the fruit: Place rhubarb in a dish.
- Sweeten the base: Toss fruit with sugar, ginger, and water.
- Rub the butter: Rub butter into flour until it resembles breadcrumbs.
- Add the crunch: Stir in demerara sugar (don’t rub).
- Top the crumble: Sprinkle loose crumbs over fruit.
- Bake the pudding: Bake at 200°C for 35-40 mins until golden.
Notes
- Use demerara sugar in the topping for the best crunch.
- Do not press the topping down; keep it loose to prevent sogginess.
- Place the dish on a baking tray to catch any sticky fruit drips.
