This Rhubarb Ginger Crumble was the obvious choice for my first bake from the Cake From Lucie by Lucie Franc de Ferriere because my yard is stocked with fresh rhubarb. Her technique of letting the sugar draw the liquid from the stalks, then cooking it, creates a jammy, intense flavor. The rich crumble topping is just the right sweetness to complement the tart rhubarb.
FROM LUCIE is one of my favorite stops when I visit New York, so I couldn’t wait to dive into this cookbook.
Tips for Baking with Rhubarb
- Rhubarb varieties: I’ve tried growing several different types of rhubarb and only the speckled one flourishes in my yard.
- GREEN: The green rhubarb is prolific and super tart, which makes it great for baking.
- RED: these stalks can be red throughout or just red on the outside. The red varieties are not as tart and not as big. You may not need quite as much sugar, but only reduce a tiny amount or your dessert may make your mouth pucker. I’ve tried growing “Canada” and “Crimson” with little success. Luckily, I can find them at my local co-op.
- SPECKLED: this is a mix of the green and red and has a flavor to match, tart, but not as tart as the straight up green. The stalks and leaves are huge, so I cut and freeze it for use during the winter. Remember: the leaves are poisonous. Do not eat them.
- To peel or not to peel your rhubarb: I never do! Having said that, I only use rhubarb that is fresh and picked during the proper season, so it is tender and doesn’t need peeling. This is how you keep the beautiful color.
- If your stalks of rhubarb are tough or stringy, then you’ll want to peel them.
- Macerate: Letting the sugar and rhubarb sit together for a few hours will release the juices, so your crumble won’t be overly wet when baked.
- The sugar draws out the liquid, which is then drained off and cooked until it thickens. This means you don’t have to add a bunch of starch to the fruit. Pure flavor, great jammy texture.
- Chill out: Chilling the crumble topping before putting it over the rhubarb and baking it will help it keep its crumbly texture and not just melt from all the butter. Both ways taste great, but the contrast of textures is what levels up a proper crumble or crisp.
Servings: 6 people
Video
Ingredients
- 1 1/2 pounds / 680g chopped rhubarb
- 1 cup / 200g granulated sugar
- 3/4 cup / 105g all-purpose flour
- 3 tablespoons almond flour
- 6 tablespoons / 75g packed dark brown sugar
- Pinch of fine sea salt
- 6 tablespoons / 90g unsalted butter cut into small pieces
- Softened unsalted butter for the baking dish
- 2 tablespoons finely grated peeled fresh ginger from a 1-inch / 2.5cm piece
- Rose Crème Anglaise recipe follows, chilled, or cold crème fraîche, for serving
Rose Crème Anglaise (Makes 2 Cups / 480ml)
- 2 cups plus 2 tablespoons / 510ml whole milk
- 1/3 cup / 5g dried organic rose petals plus more for serving
- 1/8 teaspoon fine sea salt
- 4 large egg yolks
- 1/3 cup / 65g sugar
Instructions
- In a medium bowl, combine the rhubarb and granulated sugar and toss to coat. Cover and refrigerate, stirring every hour, for 3 hours.
- Meanwhile, in a large bowl, whisk together the flours, brown sugar, and salt. Add the butter and use your hands to work it into the mixture until it has a slightly sticky and sandy texture with a mix of smaller and larger crumbles. Cover and refrigerate for at least 30 minutes, or until ready to use.
- When ready to bake, set a rack in the middle of the oven and preheat to 400°F / 200°C. Generously butter the bottom and sides of a 9-inch / 23cm square ceramic or glass baking dish.
- Using a slotted spoon, scoop the rhubarb into a medium saucepan, then add about 2 tablespoons of the liquid from the bowl (reserve the remaining liquid). Set the saucepan over low heat, cover, and cook, stirring occasionally until the rhubarb is slightly soft but not mushy, about 15 minutes. If the pan gets too dry, add more of the reserved liquid, 1 tablespoon at a time.
- Use the slotted spoon to transfer the rhubarb to a medium bowl, leaving any extra juice in the saucepan. Add the ginger to the bowl and toss gently but thoroughly with the rhubarb.
- Spread the rhubarb mixture in the prepared baking dish and sprinkle the cold crumble mixture on top. Don’t press it down. Bake until the crumble is golden, about 30 minutes.
- Set the dish on a wire rack and let the crumble cool slightly. Serve warm or cold with a side of cold rose crème anglaise or crème fraîche.
Rose Crème Anglaise
- In a small saucepan, warm the milk over low heat just until steam starts to rise from the surface; do not let it come to a simmer or bubble. Remove from the heat, then stir in the rose petals. Let the mixture steep, uncovered and at room temperature, for 30 minutes. Transfer to a small bowl, cover, and refrigerate for at least 2 hours but preferably overnight.
- Pour through a fine-mesh sieve set over a medium saucepan, pressing on the petals to extract as much flavor as possible (discard the petals). The milk will be a very light brown color. Add the salt and set the pan over low heat to warm just until steam starts to rise from the surface; do not let it come to a simmer or bubble.
- Meanwhile, in a heatproof medium bowl, vigorously whisk the egg yolks and the sugar until fully combined and lighter in color.
- Remove the hot milk from the heat and while stirring constantly with a wooden spoon, very gradually add it to the egg yolk mixture. Pour the mixture back into the saucepan, set it over medium-low heat, and warm it, stirring frequently, until the small bubbles disappear and the mixture thickens and becomes opaque on the spoon. Do not let it boil. One way to know if it’s ready is to coat your spoon with the mixture and run your finger over it. If the line is neat, then it’s ready. A more precise way to know is if the mixture is about 185°F / 85°C. It will thicken as it sits.
- Pour through a fine-mesh sieve set over a serving bowl and let stand at room temperature for 20 minutes, stirring every 5 minutes to prevent a skin from forming. You will end up with a light brown cream. Cover and refrigerate until cold, about 1 hour. Whisk before serving and sprinkle with dried rose petals for decoration. The crème anglaise keeps in an airtight container in the refrigerator for up to 2 days. Make sure to whisk it before serving.
Notes
“Cake From Lucie” Copyright © 2026 by Lucie Franc de Ferriere. Photographs copyright © 2026 by Lucia Bell-Epstein. Illustrations copyright 2026 © Maya Netzer. Published by Clarkson Potter, an imprint of Crown Publishing Group.”
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