Rhubarb treats

As the rhubarb season winds down, a few new rhubarb recipes worth considering baking to serve again in future years.

Rhubarb bars

1 1/2 c. rolled oats
1       c. brown sugar, packed
(1/2   c. chopped nuts-opt.)
1 1/2 c. flour
1       c. butter
             freshly grated nutmeg
3       c. chopped rhubarb
1 1/2 c. sugar
1       t. vanilla
2       T. cornstarch
1/4    c. water

Combine rolled oats, brown sugar, (opt. nuts), flour, butter and nutmeg with a pastry blender until crumbly. Pat half of mixture into 13x9".  Bake at 350° for about 20 minutes.
In saucepan combine rhubarb, sugar, and vanilla cooking until rhubarb softens. Combine cornstarch and water and slowly add to rhubarb mixture, stirring  constantly. Cook until clear. Pour over baked crust. Sprinkle top with remaining crumb mixture.
Bake at 350° for 20 minutes.

Sour Cream Rhubarb Squares

1 1/2 c. brown sugar

1/2    c. butter

1           large egg

2       c. flour

1       t. baking soda      

1/2    t. salt

1       c. sour cream

1 1/2 c. chopped rhubarb
1/2    c. sugar
1       T. butter
1        t. cinnamon
1/2     c. chopped pecans

Preheat oven to 350°.  In a large bowl, cream together brown sugar, shortening, and egg.  In a separate bowl, combine flour, soda, and salt.  Add to creamed mixture alternately with sour cream, beginning and ending with flour mixture.  Stir in rhubarb.  Pour into a greased and floured 13x9x2-inch pan.  In a small bowl, combine topping ingredients until crumbly and sprinkle over batter.  Bake 45 to 50 minutes or until very lightly browned. (Do not overbake). Cut into squares.

Rhubarb Scones

3/4       lb. rhubarb (or four stalks), sliced in half lengthwise and cut into one-centimeter chunks
4          T.  sugar
2/3       c.  sugar
1          T.  sugar
1/2       lb. cold unsalted butter, cut into chunks
3          c.  flour, sifted + additional flour
1          T.  baking powder
1           t.  salt
1           t.  finely grated lemon zest
3/4-1¼ c.  sour cream

Preheat oven to 425 degrees. Prepare a baking sheet or two by lining with parchment paper. Combine the cut-up rhubarb with four tablespoons of sugar and set aside.
Sift together the flour, baking powder, salt and lemon zest. Using your fingers, a fork, or a food processor, mix in the butter and 2/3 cup sugar until the mixture resembles fine crumbs.
Working quickly so as to keep everything very cold (this makes your scones lighter and flakier) add enough sour cream to produce a dough that is soft but not wet. Fold in the rhubarb.
Divide the dough into two portions and turn out onto a floured board. Again working quickly, pat with your hands into round disks about seven or eight inches across and one to one-and-a-half inches thick. Cut in triangular wedges and transfer to your prepared baking sheets. Alternatively you can pat all the dough into a sheet one to one-and-a-half inches thick and cut using a round biscuit-cutter. Sprinkle the tops of the scones with the remaining tablespoon of sugar.
Bake for 20-25 minutes, or until the scones are golden brown and peel away easily from the parchment paper. Let cool on the baking sheet for about five minutes, and then transfer to a wire rack to cool.
These rhubarb scones make a tasty "cake" for strawberry shortcake when covered with fresh strawberries and whipped cream or ice cream.