Hi MPM readers 🙂 I’m Zibi and I blog at Fresh Slow Cooking. I share recipes for nutritious meals that are conveniently prepared in my slow cooker. I start with fresh, whole ingredients, and I try to use produce that is in season. I hope you enjoy the recipe I’m sharing here today.

Do you want to prepare a homemade dessert without turning on your oven? Here’s how. Dust off your slow cooker and layer your favorite fruits inside it to prepare a crumble. Last weekend, the Farmer’s Market was selling beautiful, bright red, crisp stalks of rhubarb. I combined the rhubarb with the zest and juice of an orange and we were thrilled with the results. This citrusy and creamy rhubarb crumble was so good we devoured within two days!

Not only is this easy, but you can make it on those hot humid days without breaking a sweat.

 

12 tbsp chilled and cubed unsalted butter (1.5 sticks + 2 tbsp to butter your slow cooker insert)

1 cup all purpose flour

0.5 cup packed dark brown sugar

0.5 tsp cinnamon

0.25 tsp nutmeg

0.25 tsp salt

0.5 cup rolled oats

2 lbs diced rhubarb (2 cm pieces, about 6 cups)

1 tsp orange zest

6 tbsp orange juice (from one orange)

1 tsp vanilla extract

0.5 cup granulated sugar

2 tbsp cornstarch

Instructions

Butter the bottom and lower 6 cm of the slow cooker insert.

In a medium bowl, whisk together the flour, brown sugar, cinnamon, nutmeg, salt and oats.

Using two knives (or a pastry cutter), cut the butter into the mixture until it forms small clumps.

In a large bowl, combine the chopped rhubarb with the orange zest, orange juice and vanilla extract.

In a small bowl, stir the sugar and cornstarch together.

Place the rhubarb mixture into the slow cooker insert. Spread to form an even layer.

Sprinkle the sugar and cornstarch mixture in a thin layer, evenly over the rhubarb.

Evenly pour the oat mixture onto the sugared rhubarb.

Cook on high for 2 hours.

Crumbles are versatile desserts that be tweaked according to your preferences. Although we loved the combination of tart rhubarb and citrus, kids may prefer sweeter fruits. Recently, The Real Dish shared a recipe for a Strawberry Rhubarb Crisp which can easily be made in the slow cooker as well.

So the next time it’s hot outside and you’re craving a simple, tasty treat to enjoy with your ice cream try making a crumble in your slow cooker!