RHUBARB CRUMBLE CHEESECAKE BARS

I’ve been on the hunt for rhubarb. I live in northern England not far from the ‘rhubarb triangle,’ nine square miles of land in western Yorkshire (YORK-shure) that has the perfect cold weather and damp soil for rhubarb to thrive. The rhubarb triangle even boasts protected naming status of its product. Farmers can only call their rhubarb ‘Yorkshire forced rhubarb” if it’s cultivated within the triangle. Otherwise it’s just plain ole rhubarb. And that’s a bit of a bore, isn’t it?

Forced rhubarb is less common in the US. In fact, I’d never seen it until I moved here. Forced rhubarb is more tender and a little sweeter than ‘field rhubarb,’ the most common type sold in the US. Forced rhubarb grows in sheds only in complete darkness; farmers even harvest by candlelight because exposure to harsh light stops rhubarb growth. The result of this dark environment is a vibrant red/pink gorgeous stalk with green leaves. This beautiful produce is usually available as early as January, but I had trouble finding it this year. A few days ago, I found a small bundle and almost kicked my heels together in the fruit aisle!

In the states, I’d only ever had rhubarb paired with strawberry. Of course, this combination is absolutely delicious. The first spring after we moved to the UK, I often found that rhubarb was the star of dishes and baked goods in restaurants: rhubarb crumble, rhubarb curd, rhubarb and salted caramel cake, roasted rhubarb spooned over yogurt and granola. Rhubarb  plain and simple.

The truth I’ve found is this: rhubarb can stand well-enough on its own. I’ve embraced it as an ingredient that I use in loads of ways, trying to highlight what it brings to the table. It doesn’t have to have strawberry to bolster it or balance its tart flavor; it can really shine on its own.

These rhubarb crumble cheesecake bars do exactly that. They’re an ode to the traditional rhubarb crumble served on many dessert menus around here during rhubarb season. They have a buttery oat crust, a creamy center speckled with tender roasted rhubarb and are topped with golden oat crumbles. These bars are just tart enough to give you that lovely rhubarb flavor we all love, tangy enough to not kill you with sugar, and just sweet enough to take the edge off. Maybe these bars are exactly what you need to treat rhubarb as an ingredient all on its own.

If you like these Rhubarb Crumble Cheesecake Bars, you might also like:

Roasted Strawberry Rhubarb Shortcakes with Basil Whipped Cream

Maple Tahini Rice Crispy Treats with Dark Chocolate and Coconut

Bakewell Pudding

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Rhubarb Crumble Cheesecake Bars

These rhubarb crumble cheesecake bars are the perfect way to showcase the sweet, tart rhubarb. A buttery oat crust and golden topping sandwich a creamy filling that's speckled with tender, delicious roasted rhubarb.

Prep Time 30 minutes

Cook Time 32 minutes

Total Time 1 hour 2 minutes

Servings 12 bars

Author Katie Rogers

Ingredients

For the Rhubarb:

• 2 1/2 cups about 12 ounces rhubarb, sliced on the diagonal about 1/4" thick
• 1/4 cup granulated sugar
• 1 pinch fine sea salt

For the Crust & Topping:

• 2 cups old-fashioned rolled oats
• 3 tablespoons all-purpose flour
• 3 tablespoons light brown sugar
• 1/4 teaspoon fine sea salt
• 3 tablespoons unsalted butter melted

For the Filling:

• 8 ounces full-fat cream cheese
• 1 large egg + one egg yolk lightly beaten
• 1/2 cup granulated sugar
• 1/4 teaspoon fine sea salt
• 1/4 teaspoon pure vanilla extract
• 3 tablespoons all-purpose flour

Instructions

1. Preheat the oven to 350*F and put one rack in the top third of the oven and one rack in the bottom third. Grease and line a 9x9" square non-stick pan with parchment paper. It helps to remove the bars later if you cut the parchment long so that it goes up two of the sides of the pan and hangs over a little.
2. In a medium bowl, toss together the rhubarb, 1/4 cup of sugar and pinch of sea salt. Let this mixture sit while you put together the crust together. In a food processor, pulse the oats, flour, brown sugar and salt together, until the oats are ground, but not super fine and still have some bigger bits of oats left--about five pulses. Put this mixture in a medium bowl and drizzle in the melted butter. Stir together until the butter is completely distributed and there are no dry bits left. Reserve 1/3 cup of this mixture to use for the topping. Press the remaining mixture into the prepared pan.
3. Drain any liquid that may have come out of the rhubarb and place the rhubarb on a rimmed baking sheet. Place the pan of rhubarb on the rack in the top third of the oven and the crust on the rack in the bottom third of the oven. Bake both of these for 10 minutes. When you remove the rhubarb make sure it's tender enough that the tip of a paring knife easily pierces the rhubarb, but not so soft that it looses it's shape. If it's not tender enough, give it a few more minutes. Remove the crust and the rhubarb from the oven and allow each to cool completely.
4. Once cooled, prepare the filling. in a medium bowl, beat the cream cheese with an electric mixer on low until smooth and loosened. Beat in the sugar on medium speed until thoroughly combined. Add the egg, egg yolk, vanilla and salt, and beat to combine on medium for about a minute. Finally add the flour and beat on low for another minute. Pour the mixture into the cooled crust. Gently place the bits of rhubarb evenly over the cream cheese mixture. They'll sink into the cream cheese mixture a little but they should still sit about the top of the mixture so you can see the pretty pink color. Place in the oven for 10 minutes. Remove and sprinkle the reserved crumble mix evenly over the top and bake for 10-12 more minutes or until the center is just set. Remove from the oven and cool completely on a cooling rack.
5. When cooled and ready to eat, use an offset spatula to loosen the bars from the sides of the pan and gently pull the parchment from the pan, supporting the middle of the bars from underneath as much as possible. Cut into 12 bars, serve and enjoy!