James Martin Rhubarb Crumble is made with tart fresh rhubarb, zest of blood orange, and spicy stem ginger, all topped with a classic buttery brown sugar crumble. This recipe creates a perfectly balanced dessert where the sharp fruit compote is softened by the sweet, crunchy topping and rich homemade vanilla custard. It is the ultimate comforting pudding for a Sunday lunch or a cozy winter evening.
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Why You Will Love This Rhubarb Crumble Recipe:
- The Ginger Kick: The secret ingredient is stem ginger and its syrup. This adds a gentle, warming spice that cuts through the sourness of the rhubarb perfectly. It turns a simple fruit dish into a sophisticated dessert.
- “Liquid Gold” Custard: Most homemade custard recipes use 3 or 4 eggs. James Martin uses 8 egg yolks. This creates a sauce that is incredibly rich, thick, and velvety—far superior to anything you can buy in a carton.
- The Citrus Twist: The addition of blood orange juice and zest brings a floral, vibrant flavor that lifts the heavy sweetness of the sugar. It makes the fruit filling taste fresher and brighter.
- Textural Perfection: The ratio of flour to butter creates a topping that is sandy and crumbly, but the soft brown sugar ensures it caramelizes into crunchy clusters on top.
- Foolproof Comfort: Unlike making a pastry pie, which can be tricky, a crumble is forgiving and easy. It is the ultimate low-stress, high-reward comfort food for cold weather.
Rhubarb Crumble Ingredients
For the Rhubarb Filling:
- 8 sticks of rhubarb, chopped into chunks
- 1 blood orange, juice and zest
- 1 tbsp ginger syrup (from the jar of stem ginger)
- 2 knobs of stem ginger, diced
- 50g caster sugar
For the Crumble Topping:
- 200g plain flour
- 100g butter, diced and cold
- 100g soft brown sugar
For the Homemade Custard:
- 8 egg yolks
- 75g caster sugar
- 300ml milk
- 300ml double cream
- 1 tsp vanilla bean paste
How To Make James Martin Rhubarb Crumble
- Preheat the oven: Set your oven to 350°F (180°C).
- Prepare the fruit base: Place the chopped rhubarb, blood orange juice and zest, ginger syrup, diced stem ginger, and caster sugar directly into an ovenproof baking dish. Toss gently to combine.
- Make the crumble: In a large bowl, rub the diced butter into the flour using your fingertips until the mixture looks like coarse breadcrumbs. Stir in the soft brown sugar.
- Bake the crumble: Sprinkle the crumble mixture evenly over the fruit base. Bake in the oven for 45 minutes until the topping is golden and the fruit is bubbling.
- Start the custard: While the crumble bakes, pour the milk and double cream into a saucepan. Add the vanilla bean paste and half of the custard sugar. Warm gently over medium heat until it is hot but not boiling.
- Whisk the eggs: In a separate bowl, whisk the 8 egg yolks with the remaining sugar until pale.
- Combine and cook: Pour the hot milk mixture over the egg yolks, whisking constantly to prevent the eggs from scrambling. Pour the mixture back into the saucepan.
- Thicken the custard: Cook over low heat, whisking continuously, until the custard thickens enough to coat the back of a spoon.
- Strain and serve: Pass the custard through a sieve into a clean bowl or jug to remove any lumps. Serve warm with the crumble.
Recipe Tips
- Don’t Overwork the Crumble: When rubbing the butter into the flour, stop as soon as it looks like crumbs. If you keep going, the heat from your hands will melt the butter and turn it into a dough paste rather than a crumble.
- The Ginger Twist: James Martin uses stem ginger (ginger preserved in sugar syrup) for this recipe. It adds a gentle, sweet warmth that pairs perfectly with the sharpness of the rhubarb without being too spicy.
- Watch the Custard: Never let the custard boil. If it gets too hot (over 180°F/82°C), the egg yolks will scramble, and the sauce will become lumpy and grainy.
- Blood Orange Substitute: If blood oranges are out of season, you can use a regular navel orange. The flavor will be similar, though the color will be less vibrant.
What To Serve With Rhubarb Crumble?
This Rhubarb Crumble includes its own luxurious sauce: Homemade Vanilla Custard. However, if you prefer something colder to contrast with the hot fruit, a scoop of high-quality vanilla ice cream is excellent. For a simpler option, a pour of cold heavy cream or a dollop of thick Greek yogurt works well to cut through the sweetness.
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Check Price: £12.50 »How To Store Leftovers Rhubarb Crumble?
- In The Fridge: To keep leftovers fresh, store the crumble and custard in separate airtight containers in the refrigerator, where the crumble will last for up to3 days and the custard for 2 days.
- In The Freezer: You can also freeze the baked crumble for up to 3 months—just thaw it overnight in the fridge and reheat in the oven to re-crisp the topping—but avoid freezing the custard as it will separate and curdle when thawed.
How To Reheat Leftovers Rhubarb Crumble?
Important Rule: You must reheat the crumble and the custard separately. The crumble needs dry heat to stay crispy, while the custard needs gentle heat to stop it from scrambling.
- Crumble (Oven – Best): Bake at 350°F (180°C) for 15–20 minutes. This keeps the topping crunchy.
- Crumble (Microwave – Fastest): Heat on high for 1–2 minutes. The topping will be softer.
- Custard (Stovetop Only): Warm gently on low heat, whisking constantly. Do not boil or microwave, or the eggs will scramble.
Freezing Advice !
- The Crumble: Freezes perfectly.
- The Custard: Do not freeze. Homemade custard made with fresh eggs and cream will separate and curdle when thawed. Make the custard fresh or keep it in the fridge for max 2 days.
FAQs :
This usually happens if there is too much butter or if the fruit released a lot of steam. To fix it, bake for another 10 minutes, or use a slightly wider dish so the topping is spread thinner.
Fresh is best for texture, but you can use canned. Drain it very well before using, and reduce the sugar in the filling since canned fruit is often in syrup.
If your custard has small lumps of egg, pour it into a blender immediately and blitz it. This often smooths out the texture, though it may be slightly thinner.
Generally, no. However, if the stalks are very thick and tough (late in the season), you can peel off the stringy outer layer with a vegetable peeler.
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Rhubarb Crumble Nutrition Facts
Serving Size: 1 bowl with custard (serves 6)
- Calories: 580 kcal
- Total Fat: 38g
- Saturated Fat: 22g
- Cholesterol: 310mg
- Sodium: 150mg
- Total Carbohydrate: 52g
- Dietary Fiber: 3g
- Sugars: 38g
- Protein: 8g
James Martin Rhubarb Crumble
Course: Dessert, Breakfast, BrunchCuisine: British, AmericanDifficulty: Easy6
servings20
minutes45
minutes580
kcal📌James Martin adds a spicy twist to the classic crumble by adding stem ginger and blood orange to tart rhubarb. Served with a rich, handmade vanilla custard using 8 egg yolks.
Ingredients
- For the Rhubarb Filling:
8 sticks of rhubarb, chopped into chunks
1 blood orange, juice and zest
1 tbsp ginger syrup (from the jar of stem ginger)
2 knobs of stem ginger, diced
50g caster sugar
- For the Crumble Topping:
200g plain flour
100g butter, diced and cold
100g soft brown sugar
- For the Homemade Custard:
8 egg yolks
75g caster sugar
300ml milk
300ml double cream
1 tsp vanilla bean paste
Directions
- Preheat the oven: Set your oven to 350°F (180°C).
- Prepare the fruit base: Place the chopped rhubarb, blood orange juice and zest, ginger syrup, diced stem ginger, and caster sugar directly into an ovenproof baking dish. Toss gently to combine.
- Make the crumble: In a large bowl, rub the diced butter into the flour using your fingertips until the mixture looks like coarse breadcrumbs. Stir in the soft brown sugar.
- Bake the crumble: Sprinkle the crumble mixture evenly over the fruit base. Bake in the oven for 45 minutes until the topping is golden and the fruit is bubbling.
- Start the custard: While the crumble bakes, pour the milk and double cream into a saucepan. Add the vanilla bean paste and half of the custard sugar. Warm gently over medium heat until it is hot but not boiling.
- Whisk the eggs: In a separate bowl, whisk the 8 egg yolks with the remaining sugar until pale.
- Combine and cook: Pour the hot milk mixture over the egg yolks, whisking constantly to prevent the eggs from scrambling. Pour the mixture back into the saucepan.
- Thicken the custard: Cook over low heat, whisking continuously, until the custard thickens enough to coat the back of a spoon.
- Strain and serve: Pass the custard through a sieve into a clean bowl or jug to remove any lumps. Serve warm with the crumble.
Notes
- Don’t Overwork the Crumble: When rubbing the butter into the flour, stop as soon as it looks like crumbs. If you keep going, the heat from your hands will melt the butter and turn it into a dough paste rather than a crumble.
The Ginger Twist: James Martin uses stem ginger (ginger preserved in sugar syrup) for this recipe. It adds a gentle, sweet warmth that pairs perfectly with the sharpness of the rhubarb without being too spicy.
Watch the Custard: Never let the custard boil. If it gets too hot (over 180°F/82°C), the egg yolks will scramble, and the sauce will become lumpy and grainy.
Blood Orange Substitute: If blood oranges are out of season, you can use a regular navel orange. The flavor will be similar, though the color will be less vibrant.
