Haskap Rhubarb Crisp Recipe - Low Sugar

Make an easy, fast Haskap Rhubarb Crisp

Haskaps, (hascaps) or honeyberries are a relatively new berry  in cultivation on the Canadian prairies.  They are easy to grow and hardy in the Alberta climate. At about only 4 feet high, the bushes are the perfect size for small urban gardens. We grow 6 bushes (bought from T&T in Winnipeg) - 2 pollinators and 4 fruit bearing, and we get more than enough tart but tasty, nutritious berries. Haskaps are high in antioxidants, Vitamin C and A. They are super healthy and freeze well. Why are you not growing hascaps? 

Hascaps flower in May and attract bees - big bees - bees that you didn't even know were around this early. While the rest of the garden is bare, the haskaps are happening. Later in mid June, birds, especially robins, love the berries, so we cover our 6 bushes with garden netting. 

Haskaps grown in Edmonton, Alberta

Haskaps are the first ripe berries of the year, ripening even a few days before strawberries.  We picked the berries for the following recipe today, June 27, along with the rhubarb, from our Edmonton backyard garden.  This is an easy low sugar recipe for an old fashioned dessert, called a crisp or crumble. 

This dessert is particularly delicious if served slightly warm with a scoop of vanilla ice cream.

Randy’s Low Sugar Haskap Rhubarb Crisp          Pre-heat oven to 375F

Bottom layer

3 cups haskaps

3 cups chopped rhubarb

1 teaspoon cinnamon

1/3 cup white sugar

Topping

6 tablespoons softened butter

1 cup rolled oats

½ teaspoon cinnamon

6 tablespoons flour

½ cup brown sugar

Toss the haskaps, rhubarb, 1 teaspoon cinnamon, and white sugar together. Place them in the bottom of a baking dish, about 9” x 12”.

Put all the topping ingredients in a bowl. With your fingers, mix them well until crumbly. This could take a few minutes.

Layer the topping on the haskap-rhubarb mixture.

Bake for 35 minutes, or until the topping is golden brown. Serve with vanilla ice cream, or whipped cream, or alone.

This is a low sugar recipe, but you can add more sugar if you prefer a sweeter dessert.

Haskap Rhubarb Crisp - low sugar

HASKAP is the Japanese name for Lonicera caerulea. It has also been known as ‘Blue Honeysuckle’, ‘Honeyberry’, ‘Edible Honeysuckle’ and ‘Sweet Berry Honeysuckle’. When translated into English, it is sometimes spelled as Hascap, Haskaap and Hasukappu.

...from Haskap Canada.ca

With thanks to the U of Saskatchewan for all you do to promote home gardening. 

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