Strawberries and rhubarb are such beautiful ingredients in both color and shape. Roasting them together with a touch of sugar is such a nifty way to cook them because they become soft and sweet without totally falling apart, and this also locks in their beautiful pink hue. Serving them with ice cream and a crunchy pepita topping makes for a delicious and elegant sundae that is reminiscent of a cozy crumble or crisp but with a bit more lightness.
This is the perfect make-ahead dessert because both the roasted rhubarb and strawberry mixture and the pepita crunch can be made up to 3 days ahead.
Ingredients
Strawberry-Rhubarb Mixture
8 ounces (227 g) rhubarb, cut into 1⁄2-inch (1 cm) irregular pieces
8 ounces (227 g) strawberries, hulled and halved
1⁄3 cup (67 g) granulated sugar
3 whole cardamom pods, crushed
1 star anise pod
1⁄2 vanilla bean, split and scraped
1 inch (2.5 cm) ginger, thinly sliced
Pepita-Sesame Crunch
1⁄2 cup (75 g) pepitas
2 tablespoons sesame seeds
2 tablespoons pure maple syrup
1 teaspoon Espelette (or Aleppo) pepper
Kosher salt, to taste
For Serving
Vanilla ice cream
1 batch Honeyed Whipped Cream
Extra virgin olive oil, for drizzling
Directions
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Preheat the oven to 350°F (180°C) with racks positioned in the upper and lower thirds. Line a sheet tray with parchment paper.
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Make the strawberry-rhubarb mixture: Place the rhubarb, strawberries, sugar, cardamom, star anise, vanilla (pod and all), and ginger in a small baking dish, and toss to combine. Cover with foil.
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Roast for 30 to 40 minutes, until the rhubarb and strawberries are soft and a beautiful pink syrup forms. Remove the foil, and let the mixture cool to room temperature. Remove and discard the large spices, vanilla pod, and ginger (see Note 1).
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Make the pepita-sesame crunch: Toss the pepitas, sesame seeds, syrup, pepper, and a good pinch of salt in a small bowl. Transfer to the sheet tray, spread into an even layer, and bake in the same oven as the rhubarb for 10 to 12 minutes, until lightly toasted.
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Let cool fully and then break up the pepita-sesame crunch into small pieces (see Note 2).
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To serve, divide the strawberry-rhubarb mixture among small serving bowls. Top with a scoop of ice cream, a dollop of the Honeyed Whipped Cream, a drizzle of olive oil, and some of the crushed pepita-sesame crunch.
Cook's Notes
1. You can refrigerate this mixture until you are ready to serve. It will last for up to 3 days in the refrigerator. Bring to room temperature before serving.
2. The pepita mixture will keep for up to 3 days stored in an airtight container at room temperature.
If you liked this recipe, consider picking up "By Heart: Recipes to Hold Near and Dear" by Hailee Catalano, which is now available.
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