Blueberry Crumb Bars

Summer is here and that means fresh berries are in season!  Enjoy this simple recipe that uses fresh blueberries to make delicious blueberry crumb bars.  Recipe courtesy of Smitten Kitchen.

Ingredients
1 cup white sugar
1 teaspoon baking powder
3 cups all-purpose flour
1 cup cold unsalted butter (2 sticks or 8 ounces)
1 egg
1/4 teaspoon salt
Juice of one lemon
Zest of one lemon (optional)
4 cups fresh blueberries
1/2 cup white sugar
4 teaspoons cornstarch

Directions
1. Preheat the oven to 375 degrees F.  Grease a 9×13 inch pan.
2. In a medium bowl, stir together 1 cup sugar, 3 cups flour, and baking powder. Mix in salt and lemon zest. Use a fork or pastry cutter to blend in the butter and egg. Dough will be crumbly. Pat half of dough into the prepared pan.
3. In another bowl, stir together the sugar, cornstarch and lemon juice. Gently mix in the blueberries. Sprinkle the blueberry mixture evenly over the crust. Crumble remaining dough over the berry layer.
4. Bake in preheated oven for 45 minutes, or until top is slightly brown. (This took an extra 10 to 15 minutes in my oven.) Cool completely before cutting into squares.

Wash blueberries.

Measure dry ingredients.

Mix

Add egg.

Cut cold butter into small pieces.

Cut butter into the mixture with a fork or pastry cutter.

Mixture should be crumbly when done.

Pat half of the mixture into the bottom of a greased 9x13 inch pan.

Roll out a lemon on a counter top to loosen its juices.

In a separate bowl, mix cornstarch, sugar, and lemon juice.

Mixture should look like syrup.

Gently toss berries in the syrup.

Evenly spread the blueberries in the pan.

Sprinkle the remaining dough mixture on top of the blueberries.

Bake in a 375-degree oven for 45 minutes or until the top browns.

Ta da!

Happy baking.

xoxo
Grace