Blueberry Raspberry Crumble Bars

Take advantage of the fresh berries of the summer season with this simple crumble bar recipe. I love the combination of the buttery, melt-in-your-mouth crust and the juicy sweetness of the berries.

Ingredients:

1 cup white sugar

1 tsp. baking powder

3 cups all-purpose flour

1 cup (2 sticks) cold butter, cubed

1 egg

1/4 tsp. salt

Zest and juice of one lemon

2 cups fresh or frozen blueberries - Using fresh is ideal, but if you are using frozen, be sure to defrost and drain all the liquid from them before using.

2 cups fresh or frozen raspberries - Using fresh is ideal, but if you are using frozen, be sure to defrost and drain all the liquid from them before using.

1/3 cup white sugar

4 tsp. cornstarch

1/4 cup brown sugar

Directions:

Preheat the oven to 375 degrees F. Line 9x13 inch pan with tin foil and grease the foil with a non-stick cooking spray.

In a medium bowl, stir together 1 cup sugar, flour, and baking powder. Mix in the salt and lemon zest. Use a fork or pastry cutter to blend in the butter and egg (I also used my hands to make sure it was mixed well). The texture of the dough will be crumbly. Evenly pat a little over half of the dough into the bottom of the prepared pan.

In another bowl, stir together the sugar, corn starch and lemon juice. Gently mix in the blueberries and raspberries. Sprinkle the berry mixture evenly over the crust, then crumble the remaining dough over the berry layer. If desired, sprinkle about 1/4 cup of brown sugar evenly over the top.

Bake for 40-45 minutes, or until top is lightly browned. Cool completely before lifting the bars out of the pan using the tin foil, and cutting into squares. I covered and placed mine in the fridge for about an hour to speed up the cooling. Store bars in the refrigerator.

*Recipe adapted from Crepes of Wrath