Summer is my absolute favorite time to cook. Sure, fall and winter have cozy comfort foods, but when it comes to my favorite things to cook and eat, summer produce wins, hands-down. In fact, my family has long made fun of me for the Fourth of July being my favorite food holiday… not Thanksgiving. So this morning, we went to pick blueberries at a local blueberry farm. Sometimes, the desserts taste sweeter when you pick the fruit.
These blueberry bars are currently my oldest kid’s “favorite thing you make” — and he will eat the entire pan if I let him.
Blueberry Crumb Bars (barely adapted from Smitten Kitchen)
Ingredients:
Crust:
- 1 cup sugar
- 1 tsp baking powder
- 3 cups all-purpose flour
- 1/4 tsp salt
- Zest of one lemon (zest first, then save the juice for the filling)
- 1 cup cold butter, diced
- 1 egg
Filling:
- 4 cups fresh blueberries
- Juice of 1 lemon
- 1/2 cup granulated sugar
- 4 teaspoons cornstarch
Procedure:
- In a large bowl or 8 cup measuring cup, place the blueberries, lemon juice, sugar, and cornstarch. Stir gently to combine, and allow to rest while you make the crumbs.
- In a separate bowl, mix the dry ingredients (sugar, flour, baking powder, and salt). Add the diced butter and mix with either 2 forks or a pastry blender (if you don’t have one, it’s small, inexpensive, and multipurpose). Add the egg and blend until the crumbs are about the size of green peas.
- Pour half of the crumbs into a greased 9×13 pan. Press the crumbs down gently.
- Pour the berry mixture on top.
- Sprinkle the rest of the crumbs loosely over the top of the berries.
- Bake at 375 for 45-50 minutes, until the crumbs are golden brown.
- Allow this to cool to room temperature before cutting. These keep well at room temperature or in the fridge. Enjoy!
Louisiana Pickle 