Rhubarb Amaretto Fool with Oat Crumble
Rhubarb season is slipping away—already the stalks are a little less pink, a little more green, and the market crates are thinning out. It’s a time for urgency and indulgence, for making the most of what’s left before the season turns. I want to capture that tart, wild flavor while I still can, turning it into something soft and sweet, something that lingers.
Today we’ll make rhubarb amaretto fool with oat crumble. This fool is my way of saying goodbye to rhubarb, at least for now. It’s a gentle dessert, full of contrasts: the sharpness of rhubarb, the richness of cream, the warmth of amaretto, and the crunch of oat crumble. It feels like a celebration, a quiet nod to the last of the season.
The kitchen smells of spring—sharp, sweet, and floral. I should have been paying attention to the rhubarb, really, but I was in the thick of house chores, lost in the rhythm of laundry and dusting. My mind wandered, and so did my hands, until I lifted the lid to find the rhubarb had softened into a blush-hued tangle, its edges just a touch too tender. But that’s the thing about rhubarb: it forgives. I’m learning to love these small kitchen mishaps, the way they make a recipe more forgiving, more my own. Lesson learned: don’t multitask when cooking your rhubarb. It only takes a few minutes anyway, so treat it as a moment to practice mindfulness.
I love adding yogurt to the fool for its tangy note, which balances the sweetness. Yogurt also softens the natural sharpness of rhubarb, letting its sour character shine. If you prefer a sweeter dessert, you can always stir in an extra tablespoon or two of sugar when cooking the rhubarb.
The beauty of this fool is its patience. You can cook the rhubarb and bake the oat crumble a day ahead, letting the kitchen cool and your hands rest. The next day, all that’s left is to whip the cream, stir in the yoghurt, and gently fold in the rhubarb. It’s a way to make life easier, to let the dessert wait while you do.
Don’t multitask when cooking your rhubarb. It only takes a few minutes anyway, so treat it as a moment to practice mindfulness.
As midsummer is here and the days grow long, it’s a time to celebrate the season’s light and abundance. Here’s to lingering over simple pleasures, to making the most of what the earth gives us, and to welcoming midsummer. Let’s honor the sun at its peak, the wildflowers in full bloom, and all the quiet beauty this season brings.
Serves 4
Preparation time: 30 minutes
Cooking time: 45 minutes
Refrigeration time: 1-2 hours
Level of difficulty: 1/3
Keep for 2 days, refrigerated (separate oat crumble—this one can be stored at room temperature in an airtight container for up to 1 week).
Ingredients:
500g/ 17.7 oz. rhubarb, chopped into 3 cm/ 1.2 inches pieces
6 tbs raw cane sugar
6 tbs amaretto
350ml/ 1½ cups heavy cream
100ml/ ½ cup Greek yogurt
Oat crumble:
100g/ 1 cup all-purpose flour
50g/ ½ cup rolled oats
¼ tsp salt
35g/ ¼ cup raw cane sugar
75g/ 2.7 oz. unsalted butter, cut into cubes, at room temperature
Steps:
Preheat oven to 180°C (350°F). Put chopped rhubarb and raw cane sugar in a skillet. Cover and cook on low heat for about 5 minutes until the rhubarb is tender but not mushy.
Uncover the skillet and turn up the heat a bit higher, and cook the rhubarb for another 1-2 minutes until the juice thickens into syrup. Turn off the heat and add amaretto. Let the rhubarb cool down completely. Drain the rhubarb and reserve the syrup.
Now, let’s make the oat crumble. Add flour, oats, salt, and sugar to a bowl. Mix with hands until combined. Add butter and gently rub all the ingredients with your fingers and thumbs until the mixture is crumbly in texture.
Transfer the crumble into a baking tin and bake for 30-40 minutes until golden brown. Let the crumble cool down completely.
Whip the cream to soft peaks, mix in the yoghurt, then gently fold in the rhubarb (without syrup). Refrigerate the mixture for one to two hours.
Serve the rhubarb fool drizzled with the reserved rhubarb syrup and topped with the oat crumble.