crumb bars | Delicious on a Dollar

Blueberry Crumb Bars

Summertime desserts seem to fall into three major categories: cool, frozen concoctions, no-bake pies and such, and fresh fruit delights. Today’s recipe falls into the latter group.

Right about now I’m seeing blueberries appearing at the supermarket that are coming to us from California. It’s still too early for East Coast berries to make their appearance, but blueberries hold up fairly well and those arriving here from the West coast are looking good. Although I missed making these bars for Memorial Day, they are good anytime at all, and perhaps for July 4th. The reason I say that is because with their blue color from the berries and light crumb topping, they have a patriotic color theme, and they certainly speak of summer.

These bars are ridiculously good. They are the sort that will make you want to eat the whole pan, and then moan at how good they were. Having tried the recipe as written using blueberries, I would feel confident in changing up the fruit and using a different berry, or in the fall, using sliced apples with brown sugar instead of granulated. This is just what I love, a really good recipe that lets you try it different ways and never lets you down. Whooo-Hoo!

From my experience with making these bars, I have two suggestions: use a little more than half the dough mixture for the bottom layer, the bars will cut better and the berries won’t leak through to the bottom. Also, if your berries are a little tart, you may want to add an additional tablespoon of sugar to the berries.

BLUEBERRY CRUMB BARS

Yield: 15 servings

Ingredients:

3 cups all-purpose flour, or half white flour, and half whole wheat
1 1/2 cups sugar
1 teaspoon baking powder
1/4 teaspoon salt
a pinch of cinnamon
1 cup shortening or butter
1 egg
3 teaspoons cornstarch
4 cups fresh blueberries

Directions:

1. Preheat oven to 375*F. Grease a 13 x 9-inch pan.

2. In a large bowl, whisk together the flour, 1 cup sugar, baking powder, salt and cinnamon. Use a fork or pastry cutter to cut in the shortening (or butter). Mix in the egg–dough will be crumbly.

Stir egg into dry ingredients.

Pat half of it into the bottom of the prepared pan.

3. In another bowl, stir together the cornstarch and remaining 1/2 cup sugar. Gently stir in the blueberries. Sprinkle the berry mixture evenly over the crust.