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Strawberry Rhubarb Custard Bars with Brown Sugar Oat Crumble

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These cozy strawberry rhubarb custard bars feature a silky custard layer, a sweet-tart fruit filling, and a buttery brown sugar oat crumble topping. Perfect for a comforting treat that’s easy to make and delicious.

Ingredients

Scale
  • 2 cups fresh strawberries, hulled and sliced (about 300g)
  • 1 1/2 cups fresh rhubarb, chopped into 1/2-inch pieces (about 200g)
  • 1/2 cup granulated sugar (100g)
  • 1 tablespoon cornstarch
  • 1 tablespoon fresh lemon juice
  • 3 large eggs, room temperature
  • 1/3 cup granulated sugar (65g)
  • 3/4 cup whole milk (180ml)
  • 1 teaspoon vanilla extract
  • 2 tablespoons all-purpose flour
  • 1 cup old-fashioned rolled oats (90g)
  • 3/4 cup all-purpose flour (95g)
  • 1/2 cup packed brown sugar (100g)
  • 1/2 cup unsalted butter, cold and cubed (115g)
  • 1/2 teaspoon ground cinnamon
  • Pinch of salt

Instructions

  1. Preheat your oven to 350°F (175°C). Grease a 9×9-inch square baking pan lightly or line it with parchment paper, leaving some overhang for easy removal.
  2. In a medium bowl, toss sliced strawberries and chopped rhubarb with 1/2 cup granulated sugar, cornstarch, and lemon juice. Set aside to macerate for about 10 minutes until juices thicken slightly.
  3. In a separate bowl, combine rolled oats, flour, brown sugar, cinnamon, and salt. Add cold cubed butter and use your fingers or a pastry cutter to work it into the dry ingredients until coarse, crumbly texture with pea-sized bits forms.
  4. Press about two-thirds of the crumble mixture evenly into the bottom of the prepared baking pan to form the crust.
  5. Spread the fruit filling evenly over the crust.
  6. Whisk together the eggs and 1/3 cup sugar until smooth and slightly frothy (about 2 minutes). Add milk, vanilla extract, and flour, whisking until fully incorporated.
  7. Pour the custard gently over the fruit layer.
  8. Sprinkle the remaining one-third of the crumble mixture evenly over the custard.
  9. Bake for about 45-50 minutes, or until the top is golden brown and the custard is set but still slightly wobbly in the center. A toothpick inserted near the middle should come out mostly clean with a few moist crumbs.
  10. Cool completely in the pan on a wire rack. Use the parchment overhang to lift the bars out and slice into squares. For sharper slices, chill the bars in the fridge for an hour before cutting.

Notes

Keep butter cold when mixing crumble to achieve a crumbly texture. Slightly underbake to avoid rubbery custard. Chill bars before cutting for cleaner slices. Frozen strawberries and rhubarb can be used if thawed and drained. Add nuts like walnuts or pecans to crumble for extra texture.

Nutrition

Keywords: strawberry rhubarb bars, custard bars, oat crumble, brown sugar crumble, easy dessert, cozy dessert, fruit bars, rhubarb dessert

Find it online: https://bitefuljoy.com/strawberry-rhubarb-custard-bars-recipe-easy-cozy-brown-sugar-oat-crumble/