Blueberry Crumb Bars

Like me, you probably have bags of blueberries stashed away in the freezer.  I cannot let the summer go by without making certain that there will be blueberries available all winter long!  ....and yes, I know that summer has only been gone for about four weeks and here I am thinking about blueberries.

There isn't much to say, really, just that they have been a favorite of mine for years.  I don't recall Mom ever having fresh blueberries in the house but she always had blueberry syrup on hand for pancakes.  That always brought a smile....  Times change. Today, I would rather make a blueberry sauce with lots of whole blueberries instead of having a syrup. But, this isn't about pancakes....

Blueberry Crumb Bars are what is up today.  These were a special treat that my oldest prepared on our visit to Seattle.....mmmm...good.  They are not real sweet so if you have a bit of a sweet tooth, you will want to add more sugar.

Blueberry Crumb Bars

adapted from Dessert Now, Dinner Later

Crumb Crust
3 cups all-purpose flour
1 cup sugar
1 tsp baking powder
1/2 to 3/4 tsp salt
1 cup butter, cold, cut into small pieces
1 egg, lightly beaten

Blueberries
5 cups fresh blueberries, rinsed and picked over
1/2 cup sugar
1 Tbsp corn starch
1 Tbsp lemon juice
1 1/2 tsp lemon zest

Preheat oven:  375° F.
Lightly grease a 9 X 13-inch baking dish.

In a large bowl, whisk together the sugar, cornstarch, lemon juice and zest.  Fold in the blueberries. Coat evenly with the sugar mixture and set aside.

In a medium bowl, whisk together the flour, sugar, baking powder and salt.  Use a fork or pastry cutter to blend in the butter.  Next blend in the egg.  The dough will be crumbly.  Press 3/4 of the dough into the bottom of the prepared baking dish.

Spread the blueberry mixture evenly over the crust, include all of the juices.  Crumble the remaining dough evenly over the blueberry layer.

Bake for 45-50 minutes, or until the topping is a golden brown.  Cool completely on a rack before cutting into squares.

Leftover bars can be stored at room temperature or in the refrigerator in an airtight container or wrapped in plastic wrap.


NOTE:  Baking science dictates a bit more salt than the recipe calls for.  The usual ratio of salt and flour is 1/2 teaspoon of salt per cup of flour.  The recipe appears to be a bit light so you may wish to make a slight adjustment.  I will try increasing, just a bit, to 3/4 teaspoon next time.   Salt is a flavor enhancer and we all have a different palette when it comes to salt.  I always go light and ease into it!

PRINTABLE RECIPE

This is a light bar that is great for breakfast, tea or dessert.  It is not overly sweet but it is packed with flavor.

I am sharing today at Full Plate Thursday hosted by Miz Helen's Country Cottage as well as Foodie Friday hosted by Michael at Rattlebridge Farm and Weekend Bites hosted by Simple Living and Eating.