Brown Butter Rhubarb Crisp Recipe
Author: Ryan Smith
Prep time: 15 mins
Cook time: 30 mins
Total time: 45 mins
Special equipment required: A large oven-safe skillet (about 11 or 12 inches wide). Something magical happens to the butter and brown sugar when they are cooked together, and this recipe maximizes that effect. The biggest thing to be careful about with this or any rhubarb crisp recipe, is to make sure the moisture from the rhubarb doesn't make the topping soggy. Starting the rhubarb on the stovetop with a little sugar allows it to shed some moisture for that reason.
Ingredients
Topping
  • ½ cup (1 stick) butter
  • 1 cup brown sugar
  • ½ teaspoon salt
  • 1 cup oats
  • ⅔ cup white flour
Filling
  • 1 tablespoon butter
  • 5 cups chopped rhubarb (1/2 inch sections)
  • 1 cup sugar, divided
  • 3 tablespoons all-purpose flour
Instructions
  1. Preheat the oven to 425 degrees. Melt the stick of butter in a large heavy-bottomed oven-safe skillet over medium-high heat. Continue cooking until foaming has subsided and the butter separates and turns a medium brown (stir and tilt the pan occasionally to check color, watch carefully towards the end). Stir in the brown sugar and salt, and continue cooking for one minute. Off the heat, stir in the oats and flour, then press the topping together with the back of a spoon to form some clumps. Set the topping aside on a dinner plate or in a medium bowl, scraping the pan clean.
  2. Return the skillet to medium-high heat, and add the remaining tablespoon of butter. Add the chopped rhubarb to the pan along with ¼ cup of sugar, and stir to coat.
  3. As soon as the rhubarb begins losing its juice and bubbling in the pan, set the timer for 8 minutes. Continue to cook at medium-high heat for this length of time, stirring occasionally, to ensure enough of the juice cooks off to keep the topping crispy.
  4. Add the remaining ¾ cup of sugar, and 3 tablespoons flour to the pan, and stir. Flatten the rhubarb into an even layer with the back of the spoon.
  5. Distribute the topping evenly over the rhubarb. Bake until bubbly and medium brown on top, about 15 minutes.
  6. Allow to cool at least 5 minutes. Serve over vanilla ice cream.
Recipe by Spinning Cook at https://spinningcook.com/2013/brown-butter-rhubarb-crisp-recipe/