Rhubarb Buckle
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I love a good buckle, but I think I would like a buckle even more if it were different. The layer of rhubarb in the one I made recently was perfect — not too sweet, not too tart, which in my experience is a delicate balance to achieve with rhubarb. And the crumb top, while just a touch sandy, needs nothing more than a dab of butter to give it that crumbly, pebbly texture. The addition of lemon zest, adding a wonderful fresh, bright flavor, is essential.
It’s the base of the buckle that leaves me wanting. I want something less cakey, more sturdy, not quite a pie crust but something a little more buttery and shortbread like. Thoughts? Would a shortbread crust turn this dessert into a fresh-fruit crumb bar? Removing it from the buckle category altogether? I’m not sure I want that. Or do I?
Find the recipe on this post: Rhubarb Buckle, Revisited.
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23 Comments on “Rhubarb Buckle”
Oh this is lovely! But maybe you’re looking for a sable Breton dough, which is like a shortbread but with egg yolks, and is traditional in some French tarts. Perhaps this would work for you?
Liz — I think this is what I’m looking for. I have a French apple tart recipe that I’m going to look at. Also, Florence supplied a recipe that looks very promising. Thanks!
This looks fantastically tasty, a crumble/cake lovechild. However, looks like the kind of thing that would go a big soggy after a day or so…. Did you have any left over and if so how did they keep?
Thanks for tasty distracting-me-from-revision recipes!
Florence — Thank you so much for this recipe! It really sounds like just what I am looking for. I’m going to experiment again this weekend. Also, the buckle, surprisingly, didn’t get as soggy as you would imagine, but it definitely tastes stale. This is best eaten day of, at least with the base as it is no. Thanks again for the help!
how about you just airmail this batch to me and starting working on your next one? shortbread might be good…might maybe too too much? I’ve never made a buckle (love that name – might start calling all my creations buckles from now on) so I don’t really know what the consistency/taste/density is like. I guess the best thing for me to do is make this, eat piece after piece after piece trying to figure out just what is wrong with it slash also enjoying every bit, and then we can chat about how to fix it…and then eat that buckle and the following one until we’ve eat an entire shoe-shop worth of buckles. Sounds like fun! Happy weekend!
Perfect plan Talley! My worry about the shortbread is that it might be a little too much. Florence has provided a promising looking recipe that isn’t as buttery as a shortbread, which I think I’m going to try this weekend. Also, what you describe doing is exactly what I have been doing — eating piece after piece analyzing each bite hoping each bite might taste a little bit better but ultimately just getting uncomfortably full. Oiy. Happy weekend to you!
This recipe is also quite similar a rhubarb tart recipe from the Nordic Bakery recipe book. For their base they just used 150g flour, 1tsp baking powder, 100g softened unsalted butter, 85g caster sugar and 1 egg yolk. Makes for a crumbly biscuit base. Might be worth a shot and with less moisture in it it might be firmer.
Ho.Ly.Whoa. These bars look absolutely magical! I need some rhubarb in my life. There’s something about that hot pink stuff!
Love rhubarb, and this looks delicious! I’ve never had a buckle, so I’ll definitely have to try this! And these are gorgeous pictures, I wish I could just sit down next to this at your kitchen table. =)
I’ve never done much with Rhubarb. This looks great. I can’t wait to try it!
I am so jealous that you already have rhubarb. I think mine might just be poking out the start of some leaves. I am going to bookmark this recipe though for when mine finally starts to form stalks.
Thanks for sharing,
Stephan
I’ve never made a buckle before, but this one with rhubarb sounds incredible. I bet a shortbread crust would just take it to the next level.
Just whipped these up last night. Mmm…delicious! I can understand the shortbread crust craving, but I thought these were wonderful as is. More ‘cakey’, or bar like, than what I can consider a buckle. I doubled the batch and made it in a 9×13 with no issues- maybe an extra 5 mins in the oven to slightly brown the top. Yet again, thanks!
Lee — I’m so glad you had success with the cake-bottomed variation! I think some people might prefer it cakey in fact — I’m definitely a sucker for thin and crisp and buttery. Thanks for writing in!
Sorry this didn’t work out as planned, but it sure looks amazing!
What about this for a crust?
Butter Crunch Crust
1/2 cup butter
1/4 cup brown sugar
1 cup flour
1/2 cup chopped nuts
Heat oven to 400. Mix all ingredients like for a pie crust and spread in spring form pan and tap down. Bake 15 min. and cool.
Nancy — thank you for this! I actually found a recipe for a crust that worked beautifully. View this post: https://alexandracooks.com/2012/04/27/rhubarb-buckle-revisited/
Your Butter Crunch Crust sounds fantastic, too, however — I bet it bakes into a nice sturdy layer?
Can you use frozen rhubarb? Would you have to thaw it out first if you can use it?
Tasty recipe, but I am wondering what I might have done wrong because it turned out like a cake. Also in your recipe it says mix eggs but on the ingredient list it only has one egg.
Hi Ali,
I am a big fan of your recipes — have previously enjoyed making your rhubarb galette in addition to many other recipes. The Rhubarb Buckle with lemon & brown sugar recipe sounds delicious, but the link provided above does not take me to a recipe that has lemon. The only brown sugar is in the topping. Would love the recipe for this version with the “shortbread” like texture. Please let me know if there is a different link for it. Thank you!!
Hi Deb! Thank you for all of this 🙂
I ended up removing that recipe because it was so poorly written and a number of people had issues with it. I found it on the web archive, if you want to take a look: https://web.archive.org/web/20170817153805/https://alexandracooks.com/2012/04/20/rhubarb-buckle/
You could use that recipe but switch the crust to a shortbread crust, like the one used in this recipe.
Hello, your original recipe for rhubarb buckle is the best. I saw in the comments you have removed it because some people had issues with it. But I loved it and make it when it’s rhubarb season. However I have lost my copy and can not remember it. Please please help. It’s the base in particular I am struggling with. Your fan devastated Jamie 🙂
Oh no! OK, here are two links that I hope can provide you with what you need: https://web.archive.org/web/20171122122838/https://alexandracooks.com/2012/04/20/rhubarb-buckle/
https://web.archive.org/web/20170501161055/https://alexandracooks.com/2012/04/27/rhubarb-buckle-revisited/
Let me know!