Blueberry Crumb Bars

Bismillahir Rahmanir Raheem

 

One time, while traveling overseas, I got the biggest hankering for a blueberry muffin. It was one of those cases where you've been out of your comfort zone for too long and you start craving the most "regular" of things, which of course you can't get at that very moment you want it. There I was, surrounded by some of the best (and halal!) food the world has to offer and I was craving an ordinary blueberry muffin.

It got so bad that I ended up making my husband buy me one of those gourmet, froo-froo muffins from some airport cafe nook. Don't ask me how much we paid, its too painful to remember. But the point is, it did hit the spot. It wasn't some extraordinary muffin or something (see above: airport cafe) but just the taste of those juicy jems bursting with flavor with each bite and that comforting aroma of a baked blueberry was enough to fill that craving I'd been having those months prior. And then we came back state side and I didn't anything else blueberry-ish for years. Insaan is funny like that, huh?

That is, until I met these beauties and that all-too familiar feeling of blueberries! now! must! have! came over me. This time it was much easier this time to fulfill that desire, and fulfill it I did, alhamdulillah! These came together in no time and shared every good thing that can come in the form of a blueberry muffin but cuter and more bite-sized.

I'll admit, sometimes I skip over things like zest and juice because I don't have the actual fruit to zest or, who am I kidding, am too lazy to actually zest it. I've never missed it from a recipe, to tell you the truth. But this time I did it, and WOW, could you actually tell a difference. Nothing screamed lemon but there was a bright undertone to the sweet berries that would most definitely be missed if left out. And with berry picking season around the corner, you'll have no excuse not to try these yourself.


note: I've made these with both fresh and frozen blueberries and they turned out just fine.

Blueberry Crumb Bars

1 cup white sugar
1 teaspoon baking powder
3 cups all-purpose flour
1 cup cold unsalted butter (2 sticks or 8 ounces)
1 egg
1/4 teaspoon salt
Zest and juice of one lemon
4 cups fresh blueberries
1/2 cup white sugar
4 teaspoons cornstarch

1. Preheat the oven to 375 degrees F (190 degrees C). Grease a 9×13 inch pan.

2. In a medium bowl, stir together 1 cup sugar, 3 cups flour, and baking powder. Mix in salt and lemon zest. Use a fork or pastry cutter to blend in the butter and egg. Dough will be crumbly. Pat half of dough into the prepared pan.

3. In another bowl, stir together the sugar, cornstarch and lemon juice. Gently mix in the blueberries. Sprinkle the blueberry mixture evenly over the crust. Crumble remaining dough over the berry layer.

4. Bake in preheated oven for 45 minutes, or until top is slightly brown. (This took an extra 10 to 15 minutes in my oven.) Cool completely before cutting into squares.