Topic: Sweetening rhubarb without sugar?

[aquilegia]

Any ideas on what to add to rhubarb to make it sweet other than sugar? (no artificial sugar substitutes either)

Mr Aqui doesn't eat sugar anymore and I'm not eating it during March and probably won't much after that. But we have a load of rhubarb waiting to be picked (the plant seems to have exploded into growth!)

[Mrs Ava]

Honey, or another fruit, apples, apricots, peaches.....I reakon anything goes with bubby and if you can get some overripe (cheap) fruit then it will be all the sweeter!  ;D

[aquilegia]

superb. I was thinking maybe dessert apples. Oh just had a thought of my own - fruit juice instead of water. Must harvest some tomorrow and give it a try, with some cheap fruit from the farm shop.

Now how can I make crumble and custard without sugar?

[Svea]

also, strange as it may sound, add a spritz of lemon juice to the rhubarb. it takes away the acidity it (yes, seriously!)
and honey sounds worth a try - though it may make the compote dark...

svea

[Gadfium]

I like my fruit quite tart, so this might not be quite as sweet as required, but .... I've always chucked the rhubarb in a pan with a fair amount of orange juice (instead of water). No sugar ever added.

Not everyone's cuppa, though!

[NattyEm]

I was about to say apple or orange juice or grape juice to cook it in.

[GardnerJ]

a herb called sweet cicley is used as a natural fruit sweetner, i have never tried it but it is said to work well?
Jem x

[wardy]

Honey or apple juice.  Apple juice is naturally sweet so should be good.  I suppose with the crumble and custard you'd omit the sugar but it won't taste the same.  I like to add a bit of porridge oats and cinnamon to my crumble

[rosebud]

Hi Aqui i am diabetic i think you know and i never put sugar in custard, it didn't take me long to get used to it and now i prefer it (not that i have any choice).
I also eat bubby as it comes now better that than me not having any ;D ;D ;D.
It was suggested to me to use grape juice. Put a little cinnamon in your crumble nice.

[Mrs Ava]

What about putting some chopped dried fruit in your curmble - you could use a dried version of the sweet version you cooked with your buuby - so dried apple chopped v.small and in your crumble and fresh apple with your bubby.  I think Mary has it right, you need to spice the crumble up and then you won't notice the lack of sweetness so much.

[busy_lizzie]

Yes I often find adding dates makes for a good sweetener. Often microwave it with porridge in the mornings, should work with most things.  :D busy_lizzie

[aquilegia]

Thanks for all the suggestions, I'll give them a taste test.

I cooked the rhubarb with orange juice instead of water (I was planning on using apple, but forgot and drunk the rest of the carton earlier in the day. We only had orange or grapefruit (yuck!)) And two very over ripe pears mashed up. And some dried ginger (mum's idea). It tasted sharp, but yummy. (we didn't have it for pudding - too full after dinner - so it's in the freezer.)

[tango]

I often mix cooked rhubarb with a jelly using less water and let it set.  It is great with cream or evap.  I think you can get no sugar jelly but I spose' that will have artificial sweetner in it.

[moinouvelle]

I have always cooked rhubarb with strawberries.  Makes it nice and sweet.

Now my H had a wonderful crumble the other night.  They had Rhubarb, apples and ginger.  My 5 A Day Recipe book states that ginger works well with rhubarb and they even suggested candied ginger.

[tango]

My Mum used to talk about the rhubarb and ginger jam she had as a child.  I've no idea of the recipe unfortunately.

[moinouvelle]

Ok found this on epicurious.com.  I have not tested it but will try it this summer.

RHUBARB-GINGER JAM
From Reading House innkeeper Rita Newell
Can be prepared in 45 minutes or less.



 
1 1-pound package frozen sliced rhubarb (unthawed)
1 1/4 cups sugar
3 tablespoons chopped crystallized ginger (about 1 ounce)
1 teaspoon grated lemon peel

 
Combine all ingredients in heavy medium saucepan. Stir over medium-high heat until sugar dissolves. Bring to boil. Reduce heat to medium and simmer until jam thickens and mounds on spoon, stirring often to prevent scorching, about 20 minutes. Transfer to bowl. Cover; chill. (Can be prepared 1 week ahead. Keep chilled.



Makes 1 1/2 Cups.

Bon Appétit

July 1997

[tango]

The jam recipe looks good and will use up the excess of rhubarb, but I guess it doesn't help with sweetening without sugar.

[Gadfium]

My nana was a dab hand at 'rhubarb & ginger' jam, brings back memories of childhood.  To make a bigger batch, here's an oldish recipe (might have been W.I. originally)...

3lbs rhubarb (prepared weight)
3lbs sugar
3 lemons - juice of
1oz fresh root ginger

Cut rhubarb into chunks, layer in a bowl with the sugar. Pour lemon juice over the fruit, cover & leave to stand overnight. Bruise the ginger (place between greaseproof paper and bash with weight or meat mallet), tie in piece of scalded muslin & place in jam pan. Add rhubarb & all juices. Heat & stir until all sugar dissolved, then bring quickly to the boil. Boil hard until setting point reached & correct yield obtained.  Makes 5lbs jam.

[maz]

This is such a great thread for me but I have one concern. When I cook rhubarb I just wash it and thats the only liquid that goes into the pan. Doesnt it go too soggy if you add a lot of fruit juice?  ???

[aquilegia]

Maz - I only added a little bit of juice. Normally I put in a bit of water, so just used the same amount of juice. Probably 4tb spoons.