I have never cooked with rhubarb before and every spring when I see those beautiful red stalks in the produce dept. I want to grab them up and do something with them. Well this time I was in Whole Foods grabbed a few stalks and made it my business to use it especially since they are only in season for such a short time. I had a recipe for strawberry muffins so I added in some rhubarb. Yum! Really yum. I even tasted rhubarb raw which was super super tart tasting which is why I sprinkled sugar on the rhubarb and berries before I put in the batter. I am now going to make a rhubarb crisp and an upside down rhubarb cake that I have wanted to try. I think these may be on my table for Mother’s Day Brunch because they are delish and so darn pretty to look at. Of course I tasted one as soon as it cooled off enough to taste, and am in love with them. My new favorite food!
Made exactly 1 dozen muffins. Freeze up perfectly, just put in a Ziploc bag and take them out as you want them.
Ingredients:
1 3/4 cup flour
2 1/2 teaspoons baking powder
1/2 cup sugar plus a sprinkling for strawberries and rhubarb
3/4 teaspoon salt
1 egg, lightly beaten
3/4 cup milk, I used skim plus actually and it was perfectly fine . If I had planned a little better I would have bought whole milk or even buttermilk would be awesome.
1/3 cup vegetable oil
3/4 cup diced rhubarb , I know they have a frozen one but I used the fresh version because it is only in season for such a short while. Easy to dice, its like a rib of celery just cut down the middle and again, and dice up.
1/2 cup sliced strawberries
6 smallish strawberries, cut in half , for the topping
turbinado sugar for sprinkling on top, if you don’t have use regular old white sugar
Directions:
Preheat oven to 400 degrees. Sift flour, baking powder, sugar and salt together in a large bowl.
Combine egg, milk, and oil in a small bowl; stir into the flour mixture using a fork, and just until moistened. Do not overmix.
Slice strawberries and dice up rhubarb into smallish pieces. Take some sugar and just sprinkle over berries and rhubarb. I found rhubarb so tart it needed some extra sugar on it. Fold into batter .
Fill paper lined muffin tins 2/3 full with batter.
Sprinkle with turbinado sugar, and then gently press strawberry half on top of each muffin.
Bake until golden brown, about 20 – 25 minutes. Test with a cake tester or toothpick. When tester comes out clean they are ready.
Cool before serving.
Cooking with Candi 