Blueberry Crumb Bars

Another wonderful Monday and a great way to start the week is with a delish treat. Just right for breakfast and an afternoon snack, my Blueberry Crumb Bars always hit the spot. The perfect layer of blueberries is only complimented by the crumbly, lemony and almondy (yes, I am making up words *hehe*) flavors of the dough.

A word to the wise, to cut the perfect slice I recommend using a pastry scraper that has a sharp edge and making sure you allow this treat enough time to cool to room temperature.

Blueberry Crumb Bars

Serves 18

Ingredients
1 1/2 cups white sugar
1 tsp baking powder
3 cups all-purpose flour
1/4 tsp salt
zest and juice 2 lemons
1 egg
1 cup unsalted butter, cold
1/2 cup sliced almonds
4 tsp cornstarch
4 cups fresh blueberries

Directions
Preheat oven to 375 degrees F. Prepare a 9″ x 13 ” baking pan by coating with nonstick spray.

In a bowl, whisk together 1 cup sugar, baking powder and flour. Then, stir in the salt and zest and juice of 1 lemon. Using your hands, mix in the egg and butter being careful not to over mix and melt the butter. The dough should be crumbly. Transfer half the dough to the prepared pan and pat down until the bottom of the baking pan is completely covered. Stir almonds into the unused dough and set aside.

Using a separate bowl, combine the remaining sugar, lemon juice, zest and cornstarch. Toss the blueberries gently in the sugar mix and pour evenly over the dough in the pan. Crumble the remaining dough (with almonds) over the blueberries.

Bake in the preheated oven for 45-50 minutes or until slightly golden brown. Cool completely before slicing into 18 bars.

Photo courtesy of Sweet Rose Studio