Recipes

[FunkyHulaGirl]

I just got this in an email, and since Aldi's has blueberries on special this week, think I'll give them a try:


Blueberry-Oat Bars
adapted from More Best Recipes by Cook's Illustrated

{Note: I halved this recipe and baked in an 8x8 pan. Also, you can use frozen blueberries in place of fresh but defrost them completely first.}

2 1/2 cups (12 1/2 oz) all-purpose flour
2/3 cup (4 3/4 oz) sugar
1/2 teaspoon salt
1 cup (2 sticks) plus 2 tablespoons unsalted butter, at room temperature, divided
1/2 cup (1 1/2 oz) old-fashioned oats
1/4 cup (1 3/4 oz) packed dark brown sugar
3/4 cup blueberry preserves
3/4 cup fresh blueberries
1 tablespoon fresh lemon juice

Preheat oven to 375 F. Line a 13x9 baking pan with foil, leaving an overhang on opposite sides to use as "handles" to lift the bars out afterward. Spray the foil with nonstick cooking spray.

Add the flour, sugar, and salt to the bowl of a stand mixer fitted with the paddle attachment. Mix briefly on low speed just to combine. Cut the butter into 1/2-inch pieces and then, with the mixer on low, add 16 tablespoons (2 sticks) of the butter, one piece at a time (no need to let one fully incorporate before adding the next). When you've finished adding the butter, continue mixing on low speed until the butter has been broken down into small pieces and the mixture resembles wet sand - this will take about 1 minute.

Transfer 1 1/4 cups of this crust mixture to another bowl and set aside. Dump the remaining crust mixture into the prepared pan and press into an even layer over the bottom of the pan. Bake for about 15 minutes, or until the edges of the crust turn golden brown and it is set.

Meanwhile, make the streusel topping: Add the oats and brown sugar to the bowl with the reserved crust mixture. Stir to combine. Add the remaining two tablespoons of butter to the bowl and use your fingers (or a pastry cutter) to work the butter into the dry ingredients until combined.

Make the filling by combining the blueberry preserves, fresh blueberries and lemon juice in a bowl. Use a fork to mash the blueberries - you want to break them down some, but still leave some visible pieces of berries.

When you remove the crust from the oven, add the filling directly on top of the hot crust. Spread in an even layer (it will be a very thin layer). Sprinkle the streusel topping over the filling - I like to pick up a small handful and squeeze it together to form a large clump, then break off smaller chunks to sprinkle on top. Don't press the streusel into the filling!

Bake for about 20-25 minutes, or until the filling bubbling and the streusel has browned. Remove the pan to a wire rack and let the bars cool to room temperature, about 1-2 hours. Use the foil handles to lift the bars from the pan and cut into squares for serving. Store in an airtight container at room temperature.

Makes about 24 bars