Rhubarb Custard Bars

RHUBARB CUSTARD BARS

5/6/2022

So pink, so old fashioned and so delicious! Sweet rhubarb and custard filling on top of a shortbread cookie crust, topped with a swirly cloud of cream cheese & sweet whipped cream – these are the Rhubarb Custard Bars that dreams are made of!

Happy Mother's Day to all of my family and friends! And for all of the fun that we have celebrating our mothers, grandmothers, mothers-in-law, moms-to-be, and those daughters who are mothers to the best gift of them all - our grandchildren, it can be such a melancholy day remembering moms that are no longer with us, or a heartbreaking day for those that have suffered the loss of a child, miscarriage, or fertility problems. I hope that your day is filled with happy memories and peaceful celebration!

Rhubarb Custard Bars

Today I'm going to be sharing and enjoying an old-fashioned batch of Rhubarb Custard Bars - so pink and delicious! Sweet rhubarb and custard filling on top of a shortbread cookie crust, and topped with a cloud of cream cheese and sweet whipped cream...what's not to love? And when Skipper says..."They sure are pink....", I just smile and agree with him. Now, the pink is certainly optional, but aren't these just so darn pretty?

Rhubarb Pie is an absolute family favorite, and I make lots of them each spring, but this sweet and simple recipe has the sweetly tart rhubarb and silky custard filling that we all love. The golden shortbread crust looks like a pie crust, but it really gives these bars a different structure and taste than you have with a pie. And the fluffy and sweet cream cheese and whipped cream frosting? It stays so stabilized and pretty, and keeps its sweet vanilla swirls and twirls better than just a whipped topping. And they taste even better than they look!

ALL ABOUT RHUBARB:

Rhubarb is a perennial grown locally in the Midwest and is available in the late Spring. If you are not lucky enough to have rhubarb planted and growing in your garden or yard, you can often find it at farmer’s markets or the grocery store.
If you live in a climate where the ground freezes in winter, chances are that you can grow rhubarb! The hardest part is finding rhubarb plants! Rhubarb needs a cold winter where temperatures dip below freezing in order to grow and thrive, and it is considered hardy in zones 3-8.
Because Rhubarb is a perennial, with very little care it will come back year after year – it’s a very tough and hardy plant! Most rhubarb plants need to be dug up and divided after several years for the best plant health. This is also a great opportunity to expand your rhubarb plot or share your plants with family and friends. Once established, rhubarb is a plant that can produce for more than 20 years.
There are many varieties of rhubarb and many shades, from palest green to deep crimson, but the flavor is the same! Your rhubarb sauces, jams and jelly will vary in color depending on your rhubarb, but the flavor and texture is the same!
The stalks are the only edible part of this early spring plant, while the green parts of the leaves are toxic, which is why you never see rhubarb stalks for sale with the leaves attached.
Stalks of rhubarb look similar to celery, but have a strong and very tart taste if eaten raw.
The bright red stalks of early spring rhubarb give this jam its lovely color as well as its tangy flavor. Rhubarb is a favorite for jams, pies and crisps. The season is both early and short – use your first crops for the best results, as the rhubarb stalks will get tough and “woody” as the season goes on. Young and tender stalks are the best!
Rhubarb is technically a vegetable, but it’s used as a fruit for culinary purposes. People are still confused!
To freeze fresh rhubarb, first wash and dry it. Slice the stalks into 1-inch pieces and lay out on a baking sheets. Place the pans in the freezer for an hour, or until the rhubarb is frozen solid. Transfer to sturdy zip lock freezer bags (I usually measure out 4 cups into gallon sized freezer bags). Frozen rhubarb will last for up to a year.
Fresh rhubarb is best for all recipes, but you can also use frozen – just be sure to add any liquid that released from the frozen rhubarb to your recipe.
Rhubarb is healthy for you – it’s loaded with calcium, lutein, vitamin K and antioxidants.

HOW TO STORE YOUR RHUBARB HARVEST:

Rhubarb is one of the first things to pop up in my garden each spring, and eagerly awaited by everyone! I remember picking in my mother's garden and my great-grandmother's garden when I was little, and my little ones love helping to pick it in my garden now. Life goes full circle!

Early spring rhubarb is tender and tart, and grows rapidly in the early months of spring and summer. Make sure to harvest the bulk of your rhubarb stalks by mid-summer for the best results in rhubarb recipes. It's easy to chop and freeze extra rhubarb stalks in freezer bags by mid-summer - a good rule of thumb is to use your rhubarb by the 4th of July. You can still eat the rhubarb stalks all throughout the summer, but they are less hardy, become woody and don’t taste as good.

If you have a particularly large harvest, Rhubarb Jam and Jelly are super easy to make!

Rhubarb Custard Bars

CAN I USE FROZEN RHUBARB?

Fresh rhubarb is ideal for any recipes, but frozen rhubarb is a great alternative when it is out of season or it isn’t readily available at your local farmers market or grocery store.

If your recipe requires the rhubarb to cook down (for a sauce, jam or syrup), either fresh or frozen rhubarb will work fine.

If you are using frozen rhubarb in a pie or dessert recipe that needs to thicken some, follow these simple steps:

1. Thaw the rhubarb
2. Drain and pat the rhubarb dry
3. Toss the rhubarb with a sprinkle of flour to absorb any extra moisture

As long as you take these extra steps, your rhubarb recipes will turn out just as amazing as fresh rhubarb!!

Rhubarb Custard Bars

IF YOU LOVE RHUBARB AS MUCH AS WE DO, YOU MAY ALSO LIKE:

Rhubarb Custard Bars

RHUBARB CUSTARD BARS

So pink, so old fashioned and so delicious! Sweet rhubarb and custard filling on top of a shortbread cookie crust, topped with a cloud of cream cheese & sweet whipped cream – these are the sweet Rhubarb Custard Bars that dreams are made of!

Rhubarb Custard Bars

INGREDIENTS:
SHORTBREAD CRUST:
2 cups all-purpose flour
¼ cup sugar
1 cup cold butter

RHUBARB CUSTARD FILLING:
2 cups sugar
¼ cup cornstarch
1 cup heavy whipping cream
3 large eggs, room temperature
1 teaspoon vanilla
½ teaspoon cinnamon
2-3 drops pink or red gel food coloring (optional)
5-1/2 cups finely chopped fresh rhubarb

TOPPING:
8 oz. cream cheese, softened
½ cup sugar
1 teaspoon pure vanilla extract
8 oz. Cool Whip, thawed

HOW I MAKE THIS:

Preheat oven to 350 degrees. Spray a 13x9-inch baking pan with non-stick spray or line with parchment paper; set aside.
Prepare Crust: In a medium bowl, whisk together the flour and sugar. Cut butter into small pieces and immediately add to bowl; using a pastry blender, a couple of forks or your food processor, cut or pulse together until it resembles coarse crumbs. Press evenly into bottom of prepared pan. Bake for 12 minutes; remove from oven.
Prepare Filling: In a large bowl, whisk together the sugar, cornstarch and cinnamon. In a small bowl, whisk eggs. Pour eggs, heavy cream, vanilla and a drop or two of pink or red food coloring into sugar mixture and whisk until blended. Add chopped rhubarb and fold together with spatula.
Gently pour filling on top of baked cookie crust – direct filling onto the top of a spatula or back of a large spoon to prevent it from breaking up your baked cookie crust. It will level itself out.
Return to oven and bake for 40 to 45 minutes or until the custard is set. Remove from oven and cool on baking rack for an hour; cover pan with foil and place in refrigerator and chill for at least 4 hours or overnight.
Prepare Topping: beat cream cheese, sugar and vanilla until smooth; fold in whipped cream. Spread evenly over top of custard mixture. Cover and chill for at least 2 hours before serving.
Cut into bars and garnish with fresh raspberries or strawberries (optional).
Store covered in the refrigerator.

YIELD: 24 bars

Original recipe created & published by Snowflakes & Coffeecakes May 2014; revised and reposted May 2022.

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