Alexander Roberts 5/4/19 Alexander Roberts 5/4/19

Berry Rhubarb Pie

Happy May everyone! Spring keeps getting better here in Los Angeles, where rhubarb is still readily available, even at crappy grocery stores. Some of my friends in NYC have complained they haven’t been able to find any yet, which breaks my heart... Fingers are crossed for all of the affected.

I’ve been wanting to publish a pie recipe for a while now, and nothing could be more fitting for early May than a tangy berry rhubarb pie. Fruit pies are my absolute favorite! I try to use what I consider to be a minimal amount of sugar in my pies, and usually don’t add too many fussy ingredients. I used to stress a lot about the appearance of my pies, spending way too much time fussing with the dough and actually overworking it in the process... As I get older I care less and less about this. I just want good flavor and a proper bake.

My main concern when baking a fruit pie is avoiding a soggy bottom, which used to plague almost all of my pies in the beginning of my baking career. Nothing is more disappointing than not being able to get a clean slice from your pies. As mentioned in my Rhubarb & Tahini Blondie recipe, rhubarb has a dramatically high water content around 95%. The soggy bottom that is attempting to destroy your pie will pull in all of that water if you don’t do something about it! To avoid pie heartbreak, we’re going to help the rhubarb shed some of that water by macerating it in part of the sugar and a pinch of salt for 15 minutes. Preferably 30 minutes if you can wait! Waiting is always worth it, y’all.

Recipe Notes: Tapioca starch is used in this recipe instead of cornstarch, something I learned while baking tons of pies at Bakeri. If you don’t have tapioca, you can substitute cornstarch, but I much prefer tapioca in this type of application. A filling with tapioca starch will look more glossy than one made with cornstarch, and also taste better (imho). Lastly, I’m including a pie crust recipe on this post, but I plan on going much more in depth in a future piece only about the magical pâte brisée.

Berry Rhubarb Pie
Makes 1 double-crusted 9-inch pie

For the crust:
2 1/2 cups all purpose flour
1 1/2 sticks butter, cubed and chilled (170g)
1/2 cup water
2 tbsp vodka (or 2 tbsp water)
Pinch salt

For the filling:
4 1/2 cups rhubarb (about 2 pounds before trimming)
1 cup strawberries, sliced
1 cup blueberries
1 cup white sugar, divided (1/4 cup + 3/4 cup)
2 1/2 tbsp tapioca starch
Pinch salt

Egg wash: 1 egg +1 tbsp water + small pinch salt, mixed well

1. To make the crust: follow my pie crust recipe, listed here.
2. Remove both ends of the rhubarb stalks and slice into 1/2” pieces on a bias. Place in a large bowl with 1/4 cup of the sugar and a pinch of salt. Allow to macerate for 15 to 30 minutes: the longer the better!
3. Drain the rhubarb liquid and add the rhubarb back to the bowl. Toss with the blueberries, strawberries, remaining 3/4 cup of sugar, and another small pinch of salt.
4. Evenly sprinkle the tapioca starch on all of the fruit and stir to coat.
5. Fill a lined pie pan and attach the top of the pie. Seal the two crusts together by pinching, then trim any excess and crimp the edges. Freeze the pie for at least 20 minutes before baking. While chilling, preheat the oven to 400º F and place a rack in the center of the oven. If you have a pizza/baking stone, place it in the oven now.
6. Remove the pie from the fridge and egg wash the center of the pie, but not the edges. Place the pie on a baking sheet and then in the oven directly on the stone. Bake for 40 minutes, then lower the temperature to 375º for the final 20-30 minutes. The pie is done when it is nicely browned and the filling is bubbling.
7. Cool the pie for at least 2 hours before slicing, or it will fall apart! Serve with whipped cream or ice cream if desired. Store at room temp for 1 - 2 days.

Be sure to tag #alexanderbakes or @alexanderbakes if you try this recipe! :)

Alexander Roberts 3/27/19 Alexander Roberts 3/27/19

Rhubarb & Tahini Blondies

The best sign of the arrival of spring is always a bright red handful of rhubarb. Tart and sassy, I love using it in all types of desserts: pies, ice cream, compotes and the like. Rhubarb can be difficult to bake with due to the very high amount of water content. For this reason, it’s good to give it a par cook depending on what way you’re using it. For these blondies, we’re going to roast them for a bit in the oven to concentrate their flavor and color, directly on a sheet pan, to push some of that extra liquid out. The blondies come together in one bowl! The recipe is super easy, and I opted to use a muffin pan to make every blondie a “corner” piece. If you don’t have a muffin pan, this will work in a square pan. For 8 x 8” I’d multiply the below quantities by 1.5. For a large rectangular pan, I would double the recipe and rhubarb.

There’s also a step by step tutorial of this available on my Instagram story - if you make these, please tag me @alexanderbakes or #alexanderbakes. It’s awesome to see your bakes!

Rhubarb & Tahini Blondies

For the roasted rhubarb:
3 to 4 stalks of rhubarb
Handful of white sugar

For the blondies:
3/4 cup all purpose flour
1/4 cup almond flour (sifted if clumpy)
3/4 tsp baking soda
1/2 tsp salt
1/2 cup packed brown sugar
2 tbsp honey
1 tsp vanilla extract
1 egg
1 yolk
1 stick unsalted butter, melted & mostly cooled
2 tbsp tahini (or almond butter / peanut butter)
2 tablespoons white sesame seeds, optional

1. To roast the rhubarb: preheat the oven to 350° F. Slice the rhubarb on a bias into 1/2” pieces. Grab an old sheet tray or pan that you don’t mind (maybe) damaging. Toss the rhubarb with a handful of sugar and roast for 20 minutes, then cool completely.
2. In a large bowl, combine the sugar, honey, and melted butter with a whisk. Add the vanilla extract.
3. Whisk in the yolk and egg until fully combined. Add the tahini and whisk a few more times.
4. Add the all purpose flour, almond flour, baking soda, and salt to the bowl and fold the ingredients together with a spatula just until no flour streaks remain. Do not over mix!
5. Grease a standard 12 cup muffin pan with baking spray. Distribute the blondie batter between the cups evenly, about 1 1/2 to 2 tablespoons each.
6. Next, evenly distribute the roasted (and cooled) rhubarb. Press it into the dough, and avoid the edges of the cups because the rhubarb may burn there. Top with sesame seeds at this point if you desire.
7. Bake for 18-20 minutes, rotating halfway through the cook time. Cool in the pan before eating. These will last a few days and get softer each day if stored in an airtight container!