Blackberry Lemon Bars Recipes

BLUE RIDGE BLACKBERRY LEMON BARS

Steps:

• HEAT oven to 325 degrees F. Toss together in a large mixing bowl oats, flour, brown sugar, walnuts, cinnamon, nutmeg, lemon peel and salt until well blended.
• SPRINKLE mixture with lemon juice, then with a pastry blender or two knives, cut in the butter pieces until mixture is crumbly.
• SPRAY 13 x 9-inch baking pan with no-stick cooking spray. Reserve 2 cups of the oat mixture, then sprinkle remainder in pan, pressing with fingers to form a crust
• BAKE 10 minutes, or until set. Let cool slightly, then spread blackberry jam evenly over crust. Sprinkle evenly with reserved oat mixture, pressing down gently.
• RETURN to oven; bake 15 to 20 minutes, or until crust is golden brown.
• *To toast nuts: Place walnuts in dry nonstick skillet; cook over medium heat, shaking pan until nuts are lightly browned.

VEGAN LEMON BARS

Steps:

• Preheat the oven to 350 degrees F. Line an 8-by-8-inch baking pan with two 8-by-16-inch pieces of aluminum foil so the foil extends over all 4 sides.
• For the base: Pulse the flour, confectioners' sugar, lemon zest and salt in a food processor to combine (about 4 long pulses). Scatter bits of the chilled coconut oil across the top and pulse about 10 times to distribute the oil; the mixture will be dry and sandy. Sprinkle the cashew milk over the top and pulse about 6 times to form a homogenous and sticky dough, like a soft sugar cookie dough.
• Spoon chunks of the dough evenly across the prepared pan, then press it firmly but gently into the bottom, sides and corners, wetting your hands slightly with cool water to keep the dough from sticking to them. Poke 12 or so holes across the dough with a fork.
• Bake until the edges of the dough are light golden brown and the top is dry, about 30 minutes. About halfway through, it may puff away from the pan in spots; poke those spots with a fork or carefully press back down with your hand. Continue to bake, checking once or twice more and repeating as needed. Transfer the pan to a wire rack and set aside.
• For the topping: Whisk together the granulated sugar, cornstarch, flour, lemon zest and turmeric in a small saucepan. (The color won't turn bright yellow right away, so don't be tempted to add more turmeric.) Whisk in the cashew milk and lemon juice.
• Bring the mixture to a boil over medium-high heat, whisking constantly, about 5 to 6 minutes. Once it comes to a boil, continue to boil and whisk for 2 minutes more. The bubbles will get slower and pop bigger as the mixture thickens; you can reduce the heat to a strong simmer if you are concerned a bubble might burst and burn your hand.
• Remove from the heat, add the coconut oil and whisk until melted and thoroughly incorporated. Scrape the mixture over the baked base and spread to the sides of the pan in an even layer. Cool to room temperature, about 1 hour. Cover with foil and refrigerate at least 4 hours and up to 8 hours.
• When the bars are ready, lift the foil from the pan using the overhangs, then slide the base onto a cutting board. Let the bars come to room temperature, about 1 hour or more, depending on the temperature in your kitchen.
• Slice into sixteen 2-inch squares or thirty-two 1-by-2-inch bars (they are very rich, so you may prefer the smaller size). Dust the tops with confectioners' sugar before serving (see Cook's Note). The bars will keep in an airtight container at room temperature for 2 days.

BLACKBERRY-LEMON BARS

Steps:

• Preheat oven to 350°. Line bottom and sides of a 13- x 9-inch pan with heavy-duty aluminum foil, allowing 2 to 3 inches to extend over sides; lightly grease foil.
• Pulse 2 cups flour, 1/2 cup powdered sugar, and 1 cup butter in a food processor 5 to 6 times or until mixture is crumbly. Press mixture onto bottom of prepared pan.
• Bake at 350° on an oven rack one-third up from bottom of oven 25 minutes or just until golden brown.
• Whisk together eggs and next 3 ingredients in a large bowl until blended.
• Combine baking powder, salt, and remaining 1/4 cup flour; whisk into egg mixture until blended. Pour lemon mixture into prepared crust.
• Pulse 2 cups blackberries and 1/2 cup granulated sugar in a food processor 3 to 4 times or until blended. Transfer mixture to a small saucepan.
• Cook over medium-low heat, stirring often, 5 to 6 minutes or until thoroughly heated. Pour through a fine wire-mesh strainer into a bowl, gently pressing blackberry mixture with back of a spoon; discard solids.
• Drizzle over lemon mixture in pan.
• Bake at 350° on middle oven rack 30 to 35 minutes or until filling is set. Let cool in pan on a wire rack 30 minutes.
• Lift from pan onto wire rack, using foil sides as handles, and let cool 30 minutes or until completely cool. Remove foil, and cut into 24 (2-inch) squares; sprinkle with powdered sugar. Garnish, if desired.

LEMON AND BLACKBERRY CRUMB BARS

Steps:

• Heat oven to 350°F. Lightly spray 13x9-inch pan with cooking spray.
• In large bowl, beat butter and brown sugar with spoon until well blended. Add flour, oats, baking powder and salt; stir until mixture is crumbly. Press half of mixture in bottom of pan.
• In small bowl, stir together condensed milk, lemon peel and lemon juice. Pour over crust in pan. Scatter blackberries over lemon mixture. Sprinkle remaining crumb mixture over top.
• Bake 20 to 25 minutes or until golden brown. Cool 30 minutes. Refrigerate until completely cooled, about 45 minutes. For bars, cut into 6 rows by 3 rows. Store in refrigerator.

BLACKBERRY CRUMB BARS

Steps:

• Preheat oven to 350 degrees. Butter an 8-inch square baking pan. Line bottom with parchment paper, leaving an overhang on two sides; butter and flour paper, tapping out excess.
• Make topping: In a medium bowl, whisk together melted butter, brown sugar, and 1/4 teaspoon salt; add 1 cup flour, and mix with a fork until large moist crumbs form. Refrigerate topping until ready to use.
• In a medium bowl, whisk together remaining 3/4 cup flour, baking powder, and remaining 1/4 teaspoon salt; set aside. In a large bowl, using an electric mixer, beat room-temperature butter, confectioners' sugar, and vanilla until light and fluffy; add eggs, one at a time, beating well after each addition. Reduce speed to low; mix in flour mixture. Spread batter evenly in pan; sprinkle with blackberries, then chilled topping.
• Bake until golden and a toothpick inserted in center comes out with moist crumbs attached, 40 to 45 minutes. Cool completely in pan. Using paper overhang, lift cake onto a work surface; cut into 16 squares.

ROSEMARY AND LEMON BLACKBERRY BARS

Steps:

• Preheat oven to 350 degrees F (175 degrees C). Line an 8-inch baking dish with parchment paper, leaving an overhang on two sides.
• Combine 1/2 cup white whole wheat flour, oats, 6 tablespoons butter, brown sugar, 1/2 teaspoon vanilla extract, and 1/4 teaspoon salt in a small bowl; mix with a fork to make a crumbly topping. Place in the refrigerator.
• Combine 1/2 cup butter and confectioners' sugar in a bowl; beat with an electric mixer until light and creamy. Add eggs and egg yolk one at a time, mixing well after each addition. Beat in lemon zest, rosemary, and 1/2 teaspoon vanilla extract.
• Mix 3/4 cup white whole wheat flour, baking powder, and 1/8 teaspoon salt together in a separate bowl. Add to the creamed butter mixture in 2 to 3 batches, mixing well after each addition, until a thick dough forms.
• Spread dough in the bottom of the prepared pan. Arrange blackberries evenly on top. Stir crumb topping and sprinkle evenly over blackberries. Press down gently to pack topping down.
• Bake in the preheated oven until a toothpick inserted into the center comes out clean, 40 to 45 minutes. Transfer to a wire rack; let cool for 1 hour.
• Lift bars out of the pan using the parchment paper edges. Cut into 12 pieces using a long serrated knife.

LEMON-BLUEBERRY BARS

Steps:

• Heat oven to 325 degrees and line a 9-inch square baking dish with parchment paper so it hangs over the edges on all sides by a few inches. (You may need to use two pieces of parchment.)
• Make the crust: In the bowl of a food processor, pulse to combine the flour, confectioners' sugar, lemon zest and salt. Add butter and pulse until a crumbly dough forms, about 10 seconds. (Or mix dry ingredients in a bowl and use pastry cutter to cut in butter, clumping the mixture together in your hands until it holds together.) Press dough into prepared pan. Bake until light golden, 25 to 35 minutes.
• As crust bakes, make the curd: In a medium pot, whisk together the granulated sugar, lemon juice, egg yolks, whole eggs, cornstarch and fine sea salt until well combined. Place over medium heat and stir with a heatproof rubber spatula (or wooden spoon), making sure to scrape around the sides and edges of the pot, until mixture is simmering and thickened, 5 to 10 minutes.
• Bring mixture to a boil and let cook for about 30 seconds, but no longer than 1 minute. Immediately strain through a fine mesh sieve into a bowl. Stir in butter, lemon zest and lime zest, and stir until butter melts. Stir in blueberries.
• Pour mixture over crust, then stir to evenly distribute berries. Return to oven, and bake until blueberries begin to burst and curd starts to turn golden around the edges, 33 to 45 minutes. Transfer to a wire rack to cool to room temperature. Chill in the refrigerator until thoroughly cold before cutting, at least 3 hours. Dust lightly with confectioners' sugar right before serving.

BLUEBERRY-LEMON CRUMB BARS

Steps:

• Preheat oven to 400 degrees F (200 degrees C). Grease a 9x13 inch baking pan.
• Start by making the crust. In a medium bowl, stir together the 2 cups flour, 2 tablespoons white sugar, lemon zest and salt. Cut in the 1/2 cup butter until the mixture resembles coarse crumbs. Beat egg and vanilla together; stir into the crumb mixture until a dough forms. Press into the bottom of the prepared pan.
• Bake for 12 to 15 minutes in the preheated oven, until golden. Remove from oven and set aside to cool slightly.
• Sprinkle blueberries over the crust. Combine the 1/4 cup sugar and nutmeg; sprinkle over the blueberries. Make the topping: In a medium bowl, cream together the 5 tablespoons butter and brown sugar until smooth. Mix in the flour, so that the mixture is crumbly like streusel. Sprinkle over the blueberry layer.
• Bake for 20 to 25 minutes in the preheated oven, until browned. Cool and then dust with confectioners' sugar before cutting into bars.