Hellobee

Spring is here, regardless of the two inches of snow that sit resolutely on my back porch. In most parts of the (sane, normal) country, the weather is warming, the birds are chirping, and green things are blooming. So, in honour of spring (and impending berry season), I pulled the berries from my freezer, added some lemon zest to tart things up a little, and came up with these crumbly, sweet, tangy treats:

Berry Crumble Bars:

2⅓ cups flour
⅔ cup sugar
pinch of salt
1 cup softened butter cut into cubes, plus 2 tbsp butter
¼ cup brown sugar
3/4 cup oats (I used large flake oats for texture)
3 cups frozen berries (I used blueberries and strawberries, fresh are good, too!)
1/2 cup sugar
juice and zest from one large lemon
2 tsp cornstarch, dissolved in 2 tsp water

In the bowl of a mixer, stir together flour, sugar, and salt. Add 1 cup butter, a cube at a time, until the mixture is coarse and crumbly. Reserve about 3/4 cup of this mixture.

Press the remainder into the bottom of a greased, lined 9×12 pan, making sure to reach right to the edges. Bake for 12-15 minutes at 350 degrees, or until the edges are browned slightly. Set aside to cool.

While the crust is baking, get the filling ready. Add the berries, a few tbsp of water, lemon juice and sugar to a saucepan over medium heat. Let this mixture cook, stirring occasionally, until the berries break down. Stir in the cornstarch slurry, and bring to a boil until the mixture is thickened. Stir in lemon zest, and set aside to cool.

To the remaining crust mixture, add oats, remaining butter, and brown sugar. Crumble this together with your fingertips until coarse and crumbly (you’re looking for a streusel topping). To assemble, pour the berry filling over the baked crust, then crumble the streusel over the top. Bake at 350 degrees for 20-25 minutes, until browned and bubbly.

These need to set, either on the counter or in the fridge, or else the filling will run all over the place. Cut into squares.