Rhubarb bars with almond crumble

I got 4 pounds of rhubarb during the week. I was so excited when I saw it in the store first time this year. I made two rhubarb cakes over the weekend and used most of it, just three stalks left in the fridge.

The first one on the list was what Hania ordered, with lots of crumble on top.

A recipe from about a year ago came to mind. I remembered it being good.

It was an Italian idea with peaches and berries. I just stretched the batter on a larger baking form to accommodate more fruit (or vegetable).

So, we ended up with a thinner bottom, plenty of rhubarb and enough crumble to make Hania happy.

There were more happy takers this time around. My parents and my sister were visiting us for the weekend. I tell you, my sister and I, we can finish a cake like not many can do.

...and so we did.

Recipe adapted from Giallo Zafferano and Gray Apron
time: 20 min preparation + 60 min baking

 ingredients 
for cake
170 g (11 Tablespoons) butter, room temperature
170 g (5/6 cup) sugar
3 eggs +  1 egg yolk, room temperature
320 ml (1 1/3 cups) flour; I used 1/3 cup (50 g) regular flour + 1 cup (120 g) whole spelt flour
8 g (2 teaspoons) baking powder
1 pinch salt
2 teaspoons homemade vanilla extract
800 g (1 3/4 lb) rhubarb, cut diagonally in 1 inch (2.5 cm) thick pieces
4 -5 Tablespoon raspberry preserves
for crumble
100 g (2/3 cup) regular flour
100 g (3/4 cup) almond meal
100 g (1/2 cup) sugar
100 g (7 Tablespoons) cold butter, diced
2 generous pinches of fine salt
grated zest from 1 large lemon

 instructions 
Preheat oven to 180C/355F (fan forced function). Line a half baking sheet (30x40cm, 12x16inch) with parchment paper. 

Prepare crumble. Place all the ingredients in a large bowl. Rub them vigorously between your hands till all greased. Put it in the fridge.

Prepare cake. In a medium bowl, sift in flour(s) with baking powder and salt. In a bowl of a standing mixer, beat butter with sugar till fluffy. Add eggs and yolk, one at the time. Blend them in. Pour in vanilla. With the mixer's speed set to low, mix in flour mix just till incorporated. Transfer cake batter into the prepared form.

Arrange rhubarb pieces on top. Drop raspberry preserves randomly. Drop the crumble evenly on the fruit. Don't press it. Place it in the hot oven for 60 minutes, till top is browned. Take it out. Let it cool for 10 minutes or so.

NOTES NOTES NOTES NOTES NOTES NOTES NOTES NOTES NOTES

• to line the baking sheet: I cut a piece of paper a bit larger than the sheet, crushed it between my hands, wet it under running water, squeezed the water out, shook (gently) the paper to open; this way the paper stays on the sheet;
• I was concerned about the load of rhubarb in the cake, but the vegetable and the cake baked as they should;
• the crumble which I increased a bit for this recipe gave the cake a sweet-crunchy-almond bite ...went very with the tart and juicy rhubarb.
• the cake was not too sweet after all...easy to eat more than one piece.