Rhubarb Custard Crumble Pie

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When May arrives, I start looking for rhubarb in the store to make a pie. This Rhubarb Custard Crumble Pie is one our family loves. Filled with tart rhubarb and a custard filling, then topped with a sweet crumble. It’s especially delightful with a dollop of whipped cream on top.

I began making Rhubarb Custard Pie when I was newly married and used Grandma Vogts’ recipe. At that time, I placed a second crust on the top. It was good, and we all enjoyed it. Since then, however, it has gone through a few revisions. Instead of a top crust, I now use a crumble, and I have also added more custard sauce to the recipe, as the old one was always pretty thick.

My Grandma Swiler was always intrigued by the rhubarb custard combination, and we had many conversations about it. I think she would have liked this recipe.

As a girl, my mom and grandma always had rhubarb in their gardens, so when the end of May arrived, it was time to harvest the long stalks of green vegetable. Yes, rhubarb is a vegetable, despite it’s use in pies, jams, and other desserts. And our garden rhubarb was always green, not the pretty red rhubarb that you find in the stores.

If you’ve never tasted rhubarb before, it’s quite tangy. So, sugar is always required when working with it, whether you’re making a pie, a crumble, or a sauce to put over ice cream. I recently saw a recipe for rhubarb scones, and I’m eager to give that a try. I’ll be sure to report back if it turns out well!

When browsing rhubarb recipes you may find those that include other spring fruits, such as strawberries or blueberries. These two fruits go really well with the flavor and tartness of rhubarb, especially when made into a crumble, crisp, or pie.

 

Recipes with Rhubarb, Strawberries, and Blueberries

• Fresh Tart Rhubarb Pie
• Strawberry Rhubarb Crumble
• Old-Fashioned Strawberry Shortcake
• Blueberry Crumble with Oat Flour

 

Ingredients for Rhubarb Custard Crumble Pie

(See the full recipe at the bottom of this post.)

• red rhubarb, diced

Single Pastry

• all-purpose flour
• salt
• vegetable shortening
• cold water

Custard Filling

• granulated sugar
• all-purpose flour
• eggs
• water
• lemon juice
• vanilla extract
• kosher salt
• freshly ground nutmeg

Crumb Topping

In a medium bowl, combine the all-purpose flour and salt. Mix together.

Using a pastry fork, cut the vegetable shortening into the flour mixture until small pebbles form.

Add cold water in two parts, mixing between each addition, until the dough forms a ball.

Roll dough out onto a lightly floured surface to fit a 9″ pie plate. Place dough in pie plate and crimp top edges.

Place sliced rhubarb in the unbaked pie shell.

 

Make the Custard Filling

In a medium bowl, combine granulated sugar, all-purpose flour, large eggs, water, lemon juice, vanilla extract, kosher salt, and freshly ground nutmeg. Mix until blended. Mixture will be thick.

Whenever possible, I try to use freshly ground nutmeg in my recipes. Especially those that involve custard. You can really taste the difference!

Pour the custard filling over the rhubarb, using a rubber spatula to distribute it to the edges.

 

Prepare the Crumb Topping

In a small bowl combine all-purpose flour, granulated sugar, and ground nutmeg. Mix to combine.

With a blending fork, cut in small slices of butter to the flour mixture until crumbly.

Sprinkle mixture over the rhubarb custard filling.

Bake in preheated oven for 10 minutes at 425 degrees, then reduce heat to 350 degrees and bake an additional 40-45 minutes until the pie has set in the center.

Allow to cool before serving. Serve with a generous dollop of whipped cream.

This recipe will serve 8 people. Cover leftovers with plastic wrap or aluminum foil and refrigerate up to 3 days.

See more Pie Recipes Here. Browse Desserts Here.

 

 

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