Ingredients
- 600 g rhubarb stalks, cut into 2 cm pieces
- 90 ml pure Quebec maple syrup (dark, robust)
- 2 tbsp cornstarch
- 100 g rolled oats
- 50 g all-purpose flour
- 50 g cold unsalted butter, cubed
- 2 tbsp maple syrup (for topping)
- 1/2 tsp cinnamon
- 1/4 tsp fine salt
Method
- Preheat oven to 180 °C (355 °F). Toss rhubarb with 90 ml maple syrup and cornstarch; spread in a 20×20 cm baking dish.
- Combine oats, flour, cinnamon, and salt. Cut in butter until crumbly. Drizzle 2 tbsp maple syrup over and toss.
- Spread topping evenly over rhubarb.
- Bake 40–45 min until topping is crisp and filling is thick and bubbling. Serve warm with cream.
Conversion and rationale
Original sweetener (classic version): 200 g granulated sugar (for filling) + 60 g brown sugar (for topping)
Conversion used: Replace all sugar with 90 ml maple syrup (filling) + 2 tbsp maple syrup (topping). Add 2 tbsp cornstarch (up from 1 tbsp) to manage moisture. Oven temperature unchanged — dry croustade topping acts as buffer.
Why Quebec maple syrup: Rhubarb's sharp acidity needs a sweetener with character — maple syrup's caramel undertones balance tartness far more interestingly than plain sugar, reducing total sweetener volume by weight.
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 →