Strawberry Rhubarb Square

Can you guys handle one more 🍓Strawberry Rhubarb🍓 recipe??? I feel like I absolutely have to share this recipe with you guys before the summer comes to an end!! July is almost over, how can that be!!It’s just flying by right? I thought last summer was the busiest when we were getting ready for our wedding but this summer is right up there too! I’m trying to post regularly for you guys but it’s been a little hard to keep up🤦🏻‍♀️, with work and building the cottage!! Bare with me for the rest of the summer and I promise lots of delicious recipes are in the works for the Fall!!

Now, let’s get down to business with this Strawberry Rhubarb Square. My aunts have been making this dessert for as long as I can remember and I fell in love the first time I laid eyes on it! The bottom layer is almost like a shortbread base, then you have a thick strawberry rhubarb filling that’s pretty similar to a jam with a meringue topping…. I meannn!!! Sometimes they would make it with just rhubarb and sometimes half strawberry half rhubarb, that’s the one I prefer!

This dessert comes together pretty fast because as step 1 is baking, you make step 2 and step 3. Then you bake it once more to cook the meringue and then you must cool it completely before slicing (that’s the hardest part, to wait⏰). It’s actually best served cold, once it has cooled in the fridge! The bottom does harden a bit when it’s cooled so just leave it out like 20 minutes or so before slicing!

Step 1: The Base: To make the base, three ingredients only! Butter, Flour and Brown Sugar! You mix it like you would pie crust, best if the butter is cold right out of the fridge! I use my hands to mix it and it comes together in a few minutes! Press it into an 8X8 baking dish and bake for 15-20 minutes at 350 degrees. It’s best to use a glass dish for this so you can see the bottom of the crust to check doneness and the layers of this dessert are just so pretty! You want the crust to be a light golden colour! When it’s done, set aside until filling is ready!

Step 2: The Filling: You have two options here, microwave or stovetop! Yes, the microwave!! That’s how the original recipe goes, and that’s the method I use! In a large microwave safe bowl (this is the one I use and it works great.) I love this one because it’s the perfect size and the handle doesn’t get hot (that happened to me once, OUCH). 2 cups chopped strawberries, 2 cups chopped rhubarb, 1 ½ cups white granulated sugar, 1 TBSP pure vanilla extract and 3 egg yolks (save the whites in a separate bowl for the meringue)! Give everything a mix and start the microwave, 14 minutes! Now every 3-4 minutes you’ll need to stop and mix! You’ll see the texture changing as it cooks! It will really thicken in the last 5 minutes!! *** When you’re separating the whites from the yolks, be careful not to poke the yolk! You don’t want any yellow seeping into to yours whites, it could affect your meringue!! Once your filling is nice and thick, pour it over the baked base! A little trick to check you filling, dip a spoon and once the back is coated, run your finger through it. If it stays separated, it’s done (similar to the cold plate test from my Strawberry Rhubarb Jam recipe). Now, if you want to use the stove top method, it’s pretty similar. Just add everything to a large pot, about 5 quarts and bring to a boil on medium-high heat. Once it begins to boil, lower the heat to medium and simmer until the filling is thicken like the photos below. It took about the same time as the microwave version, 14 minutes. 

Step 3: The Meringue: In a large bowl, add the 3 egg whites. Use large eggs if you can for this, if you only have small eggs, add a 4^th one! No need to add a 4^th yolk though! If you have a stand mixer with the whisk attachment, you can use that!! I whip out the good old hand mixer for this! Beat the egg whites with the mixer for a few minutes until they begin to thicken and look like this. Then, while the mixer is still on, slowly pour in ½ cup white sugar and continue beating for about 4 minutes until it is thick, glossy and firm peaks form. When you spread the meringue over the filling, make sure you spread it evenly and that the meringue touches all the sides of the pan. You can use the back of a spoon to make little peaks in the meringue, mostly for the look. Then bake it in the oven at 350 for about        10-15minutes until the meringue is lightly browned. It will rise quite a bit in the oven but it will fall a little as it cools… Now, I’m no meringue connoisseur but this is how my aunts do it! I think adding cream of tartar to the meringue could help the falling part? If you’re a meringue expert let me know! But even if it falls a little, the meringue is still delicious and personally I think it’s just the right amount!

Look at those layers😍😍!!! Once you take it out of the oven, cool it for a few hours then store it in the fridge! Like I said, it’s best enjoyed cold. Just make sure to leave it on the counter for 20 minutes or so before slicing into it, the base hardens a little when it’s cool.

This dessert brings back so many family dinner memories and just makes my heart happy❤️! It holds up nicely in the fridge for up to 4 days but I *highly* doubt it will last that long! I truly hope you love it as much as I do, it’s one of my favourite summer desserts (I know I know… everything is my favourite lol).

Enjoy friends, I’m trying real hard to have that Watermelon Margarita recipe for Thirsty Thursday… Might be a day late! Stay tuned!

XO Nat

Strawberry Rhubarb Meringue Square

• Author: Natalie
• Prep Time: 25-30 minutes
• Cook Time: 30 minutes
• Total Time: 60 minutes
• Yield: 9 Servings
• Category: Dessert
• Method: Baking

Print

Pin

---

Description

This Strawberry Rhubarb Meringue Square is the perfect summer dessert! The base is buttery the filling is jam-y and the meringue topping is light and airy, so good! Best served cold and will keep in the fridge for up to 4 days!

---

Ingredients

The Base:

• 1 Cup all purpose flour
• 1/2 Cup cold butter (1 Stick)
• 1/4 Cup brown sugar
• pinch of salt

Filling:

• 2 Cups chopped rhubarb
• 2 Cups chopped strawberries
• 1 1/2 Cups white granulated sugar
• 3 TBSP all purpose flour
• 1 Tsp pure vanilla extract
• 3 Large egg yolks (save the whites for meringue in a separate bowl)

Meringue Topping:

• 3 Large egg whites*
• 1/2 Cup white granulated sugar

---

Instructions

The Base:

1. Preheat the oven to 350 degrees.
2. Spray or butter the bottom of an 8X8 glass dish.
3. In a medium bowl, add the flour, the brown sugar and the salt.
4. Chop your stick of butter (important to be cold right from the fridge) into 8 pieces, add to the flour and sugar.
5. With your hands, mix everything together as you would pie crust. You want everything to be combined so that when you pinch a piece of the base it sticks together.
6. Press the mixture evenly into the prepared pan and bake for 15-20 minutes until the base is a light golden colour.
7. Set the base aside until your filling is ready.

The Filling:

Microwave Version:

1. In a large microwave safe bowl, add the rhubarb, strawberries, sugar, flour, egg yolks and vanilla. Mix everything together and set the microwave for 14 minutes.
2. Every 3-4 minutes, strop the microwave and give everything a mix and scrape down the sides of the bowl.
3. The mixture will thicken as it cooks, you want to achieve a jam like texture (see photos in post to see how to check thickness with a spoon).
4. Pour the filling on top of the base and make your meringue.

Stovetop Version:

1. Add all the filling ingredients to a large pot (5 quarts). Give everything a mix and bring to a boil on medium-high heat.
2. Once it comes to a boil, reduce heat and simmer until the filling has thickened into a jam like texture. It will take about the same time as the microwave version, 14 minutes.
3. Once the filling is ready, spread over the base and proceed with making your meringue .

The Meringue:

1. You can either use a stand mixer with the whisk attachement or a large bowl with a hand mixer.
2. Add the egg whites* to the bowl (make sure there is no yolks in there).
3. Beat the egg whites for a few minutes until they become thick and frothy.
4. With the mixer still on, stream in the sugar slowly and keep mixing for about 3-4 minutes until the meringue is thick, glossy and you achieve stiff peeks.
5. Spread the meringue over the filling evenly. Make sure the filling touches all the sides of the pan. With the back of a spoon, you can make little peeks in the meringue.
6. Bake at 350 for approx 10-15 minutes until the meringue has risen and is a light golden brown.
7. Let the square cool at room temperature for a few hours then store in the refrigerator. It is best served cold but leave it out of the fridge for at least 20 minutes before slicing it as the bottom will harden a little as it cools.
8. Keep in the fridge for up to 4 days.

---

Notes

*If you don’t have large eggs, add an extra egg white for your meringue. No need to add an extra yolk.

Keywords: Strawberry, Rhubarb, Dessert, Meringue