Cookbook Review & Strawberry Rhubarb Cobbler

While I am not cool enough to own a Triple Slow Cooker, I do love slow cookers and have a mid size one (a Crock-Pot 4-Quart). Perusing through Triple Slow Cooker Entertaining: 100 Plus Recipes and 30 Party Plans was fun. This was one of the memory trippers for me, thinking back to the table of slow cookers at every church potluck. Those women would have done nearly anything to have a triple slow cooker back then. If I entertained more, I’d snap one up, it would be fun. But no, you don’t need a fancy cooker, use the one you have on hand, for these recipes, but do use a smaller cooker (4 quart or smaller).

The book starts off with a primer on cookers, then has 30 party plans, be it for holidays or gatherings, to get you started, then the recipes take up the rest. There are ideas for pretty much anyone. I of course wandered back to the dessert section (as if I wander anywhere else in cookbooks first?) and whadda my eyes see? A rhubarb and strawberry cobbler that was deconstructed (that sounds so hipster…ouch). It’s spring and how well does that dessert fit in? Perfectly!

I love rhubarb. Really love it, that sour taste is something I can never get enough of. Did I mention I inherited 2 plants in our backyard when we bought our home years ago…but this spring? I was wandering last week through one of the plant sections at a favorite store and saw on the ground…a flat of rhubarb starts, for a measly $1.50 each! I planted 4 more, under my kitchen window 🙂 Rhubarb freezes well and grows in cruddy soil..so if you see some, plant it!

So while dreaming about my bumper crops in the coming years, I got to work:

I adapted the recipe to be vegan, which was easy enough to do, with 2 quick subs, one of which was my now favorite “cream” substitute  So Delicious Barista Creamers. I also used white whole wheat flour instead of all-purpose flour. The biscuits were quite tasty this way, so no fears on changing up the recipe! I have listed my changes in “( )”, after the called for ingredients.

And yeah, it was good.

Strawberry Rhubarb Dessert (from pages 176-177)

Ingredients:

Fruit Filling:

• 4 cups strawberries, hulled and cut in half (1 lb or so)
• 2 cups rhubarb, 1″ slices (12 ounces or so)
• ¾ cup granulated sugar
• ¼ cup all-purpose flour (used white whole wheat flour)
• 2 Tbsp cornstarch
• Pinch salt

Biscuits:

• 1 cup all-purpose flour (used white whole wheat flour)
• 4 tsp granulated sugar, divided
• 1½ tsp baking powder
• ½ tsp salt
• 3 Tbsp cold butter, diced (used Earth Balance Buttery Stick)
• 2/3 cup cold heavy or whipping cream (used So Delicious French Vanilla Creamer)

Directions:

Spritz a medium slow cooker stoneware with oil (or light oil with fingers).

In a medium bowl, combine strawberries, rhubarb, sugar, flour, cornstarch and salt. Transfer to prepared stoneware.

Cover and cook on Low for 4 to 5 hours or on High for 2 to 2½ hours, until fruit is tender. Turn to Warm for serving.

About 30 minutes before serving, preheat oven to 400°, and line a baking sheet with parchment paper.

In a medium bowl, whisk together flour, 3 tsp of the sugar, baking powder and salt. Using your fingertips, cut in butter (Buttery Stick) until mixture resembles course crumbs. Using a fork, stir in cream (Barista Creamer) until a soft dough forms.

Divide dough into 8 dollops and place about 2 inches apart on prepared baking sheet. Sprinkle the remaining sugar evenly over the dollops of dough.

Bake for 18 to 20 minutes or until golden brown.

To serve, spoon fruit mixture into bowls and place a crust dollop on top of each.

PS:

While the recipe notes to serve warm, I enjoyed chilling the fruit mixture first, and then serving a warm “biscuit” with the cold fruit. Yum!

~Sarah

FTC Disclaimer: We received a review copy of the book. We used products sent to us in the making of this recipe as well.