In planning recipes for June, I plotted many ways to use rhubarb. It is a very curious plant, and I had to use it.
It was on a road trip with my friend Ashley that I first tasted rhubarb. We landed in rural Idaho, where her parents had a garden full of rhubarb.
Ashley’s dad made a strawberry rhubarb pie while her mom was cooking dinner. It looked so good; I just had to try it myself.
It’s funny how rhubarb can be so elusive. It only appears in late April or early May and then for a short time during the summer. This is why I was eager to get some in the spring. After numerous phone calls to local grocery stores and unsuccessful attempts to pick some up at the market, I finally found some. I then stocked up.
Ingredients
- Chop 1 cup of rhubarb (ends and leaves cut off // chopped).
- 1/2 cup strawberries (chopped)
- 1/4 cup orange juice, optional
- Use two tablespoons of maple syrup or raw sugar (or honey if you’re not vegan).
- I used half a whole wheat pastry and half unbleached all-purpose flour, plus additional flour for rolling.
- 1/4 teaspoon sea salt
- Thirty-four cups of vegan butter cold (such as Earth Balance/more for topping).
OPTIONAL GLAZE
- Powdered sugar, 1 cup
- 1/2 Tbsp melted vegan butter
- Use 2-3 tablespoons of pomegranate (or similar) juice
Instructions
- Preheat oven to 375°F (190°C) and line the baking sheet with parchment.
- Place rhubarb and strawberries in a small pan over medium heat. Add raw sugar and orange juice. Cover the pan and cook on medium heat for 10 minutes. Stir occasionally and muddle with a spoon. If the mixture bubbles excessively, reduce heat to low. Transfer the mixture to a large bowl to cool.
- Mix flour and salt in a large bowl. Then, using a pastry cutter or fork, cut butter into the mixture until it is well combined.
- Mix with a wooden spatula until the dough starts to form. You may need up to 5 Tbsp. (amounts according to the original recipe // adjust for changes in batch size). The dough should be moist but not sticky. If it becomes too wet, add more flour.
- Roll the dough into a large rectangular shape using a floured roller pin. To reduce the risk of cracking, I like to cover the dough with plastic wrap while rolling.
- Transfer the squares to a baking tray and cut into 16 equal pieces (amount according to original recipe // adjust batch size if you are changing it). In my first attempt, 12 squares were produced. I then rolled my scraps out and got four squares more!
- Place 1 Tbsp. The fruit mixture is on half of each square, leaving a 1/4-inch border around the edge to seal it. Use your finger to run water along the edges of the squares so they stick together. Then, top the squares by placing their matching halves on top and seal with a fork.
- Sprinkle raw sugar on top (optional) and poke a few small holes into the tops of each pop tart. Bake for 20-25 mins or until golden brown.
- If desired, let cool completely and then add glaze. For the glaze, whisk together powdered sugar, melted vegan butter, and juice until desired consistency. The glaze is optional but is recommended for sweeter Pop-Tarts.
- Keep leftovers covered in a container at room temperature for a few more days.
