Ingredients
- 800 g rhubarb, sliced
- 150 ml Québec maple syrup
- 30 g cornstarch
- 1 tbsp lemon juice
- Topping: 120 g rolled oats, 90 g all-purpose flour, 100 g cold unsalted butter, 80 ml maple syrup, 1/2 tsp cinnamon, 1/4 tsp salt
Method
- Toss rhubarb with 100 ml maple syrup, cornstarch, and lemon juice; place in a buttered baking dish.
- Rub butter into oats, flour, cinnamon, and salt, then mix in the remaining maple syrup until crumbly.
- Scatter the topping over the rhubarb and bake at 175 °C for 40–45 minutes until bubbling and browned.
- Rest 15 minutes before serving.
Conversion and rationale
Original sweetener (classic version): 200 g combined granulated or brown sugar
Conversion used: Replace 200 g sugar with 180 ml maple syrup, retain 30 g cornstarch for the fruit juices, and bake 15 °C below the usual 190 °C crisp temperature.
Why Quebec maple syrup: Maple's darker notes balance rhubarb's sharpness and deepen the oat topping. The simple dish uses a local sweetener efficiently with minimal added processing.
General rule: 1 cup (250 ml) sugar ≈ 3/4 cup (180 ml) maple syrup; reduce liquids by 45–60 ml per cup of syrup and lower oven by 15 °C. Substitution calculator →