BlueBerry Breakfast Bars

MMMMMM.   Blueberries are IN SEASON.   There were some beautiful specimens at the farmer’s market.  I went to the Beverly Hills one this past weekend because there was a Piesta going on.  I mean really?  I’m so THERE.   Except I was totally moving slow and I didnt get there until the very very end.   So I had to plow through the market to before it closed.  Oh well.

Later in the day I visited Whole Foods and lo and behold there were PILES of blueberries.   I mean a huge giant pile.  You had to scoop them into containers yourself.  So I got a lot.

Once the blueberries were at hand there was a lot of research on what to make with them?   Pie? Muffins?  Lemon Blueberry Loaf?   Ahh, too much bread.   I found a recipe at Smitten Kitchen that was adapted from the Baked book, Baked: New Frontiers in Baking (which I have, natch) but it used rasberries.   So I adaped the adaptation.

BlueBerry Breakfast Bars

BlueBerry Breakfast Bars

For the crust and topping:
1 1/2 cup flour
3/4 cup firmly packed dark brown sugar
1 1/4 cups rolled oats
3/4 teaspoon salt
3/4 teaspoon baking powder
1/2 teaspoon baking soda
1/2 teaspoon cinnamon
3/4 cup butter, cut into 1-inch pieces

For the blueberry filling:
1/2 cup white sugar
1 tablespoon grated lemon zest
2 tablespoons water
1 tablespoon corn starch
4 cups fresh blueberries

Preheat the oven to 350°F. Butter the bottom and sides of a 13 x 9 inch baking pan. Put a long piece of parchment paper in the bottom of the pan, letting the parchment extend up the two short sides of the pan and overhang slightly on both ends. (This will make it easy to remove the bars from the pan after they have baked.) Butter the parchment.

Put the flour, brown sugar, oats, salt, baking powder, baking soda, and cinnamon in a food processor. Pulse in short bursts until combined. Add the butter and pulse until loose crumbs form.

Reserve 1 1/2 cup of the mixture and set aside. Pour the rest of the mixture into the prepared pan and use your hans or the back of a large wooden spoon to push the crust into an even layer at the bottom of the pan. The crust should touch the sides of the pan. Bake until golden brown, 12 to 15 minutes. Transfer to a wire rack and let the crust cool. Keep the oven on while you make the blueberry filling.

In a medium saucepan, add 1 1/2 cups of blueberries, 1 tablespoon water, and 1/2 cup white sugar. Mix well and cook over medium heat for 2-3 minutes or until bubbly. In a small cup mix 1 tablespoon water with the cornstarch.   Slowly add the cornstarch to the blueberries while stirring.  Cook 2-3 minutes or until thick.  Remove from heat.  Stir in lemon zest and remaining blueberries.    Set aside to cool.

Spread the cooled blueberry filling evenly on top of the cooled crust. Sprinkle the reserved crust mixture evenly on top of the filling.

Bake for 35 to 45 minutes, until the top is golden brown and the filling starts to bubble around the edges. Cool completely, then cut into squares and serve.

BlueBerry Breakfast Bars - crust

BlueBerry Breakfast Bars - filling

BlueBerry Breakfast Bars - filling

 

BlueBerry Breakfast Bars

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