The Brown Betty is a much-beloved traditional English dessert. Victorians made it with apples, breadcrumbs and suet and was a popular pudding with the downstairs crowd.
I adapted a version listed with the National Trust, using only a fraction of the butter to cut fat, and you can use a sugar substitute to cut extra sugar.
Scrummy Rhubarb Orange Brown Betty
The Brown Betty is a much beloved traditional English dessert. Victorians made it with apples, breadcrumbs and suet and was a popular pudding with the downstairs crowd.
This traditional recipe has been adapted using only a fraction of the butter to cut fat, and you can use a sugar substitute to cut extra sugar.
Servings 6 servings
Ingredients
- 2 tbsp. unsalted butter
- 4 cups fresh breadcrumbs (whole wheat preferred)
- 5 cups chopped rhubarb
- 1 cup white or brown sugar (or sugar substitute like Stevia)
- 1 large orange juiced and zested
Instructions
- Preheat oven to 350F.
- Melt the butter in a heavy frying pan, add the breadcrumbs and cook over moderate heat, stirring continuously to prevent burning, until the crumbs are light golden in colour.
- Mix the rhubarb with 2/3rd cup of sugar, orange zest, and juice.
- Prepare a 9″ square ovenproof dish (lightly butter or spray with nonfat cooking spray).
- Place half of the rhubarb in the bottom, then half the breadcrumbs and repeat.
- Sprinkle with reserved sugar and cover with foil.
- Bake for 20 minutes, then remove the foil and continue cooking for a further 25–30 minutes, or until the top is brown and crisp and the rhubarb underneath is soft.
- Serve hot with a nice cool vanilla non fat greek or frozen yoghurt.
Notes
Brown Betty can be made with other fruits, adjusting the amount of sugar. I love rhubarb which was an Edwardian favorite, or consider other fruits you may have around like plums, blackcurrants, pears, blackberries and cherries.