Rebecca Nielsen's Recipe

Blueberry Streusel Bars

Category: Bars

Serves/Makes: 40
Difficulty: 2
Prep/Cook Time: 1 hour

Ingredients:

3 cups flour
1 t baking powder
2/3 c plus 1/2 c white sugar
2/3 c plus 1/2 c brown sugar
3 t almond extract (pure only)
2 sticks unsalted butter, room temperature, cubed
1 extra large egg
1/2 t salt
zest of 1 lemon
4 cups fresh blueberries, washed and picked through
2 t ground cinnamon
2 t lemon juice
4 T tapioca starch or arrowroot (you can use corn starch, I prefer the "feel" of the other two)
1 cup finely chopped walnuts (not ground)

Preparation:

Preheat oven to 375 degrees.

In a large bowl stir together flour, baking powder, 2/3 c white sugar, 2/3 c brown sugar, salt and lemon zest. Do not use an electric mixer for this recipe. For the next part I use the meat fork that comes with your silverware set. Add the egg, 2 t of the almond extract and the soft butter. With the back of the fork mix until all incorporated. Mixture will resemble a loose dough.

Take between 2/3 and 3/4 of the mixture and press it evenly into the bottom of a 9 x 13 glass baking dish. Bake for 6 minutes.

While crust is baking, in a medium mixing bowl combine blueberries, the other teaspoon of almond extract, lemon juice, 1/2 c white sugar, tapioca starch and cinnamon. Toss with wooden spoon gently pressing down on blueberries a few times. Spread evenly over crust.

If you only have whole or halved walnuts. Put them into your food processor and process for 17 seconds. Combine the walnuts with the remaining crust batter and add 1/2 c brown sugar. Spread evenly over the blueberries, patting down ever so slightly. Return to oven for 45 minutes or until center just barely jiggles.

After 22 minutes tent dish with foil to avoid top getting too brown. Turn dish around for even baking.

Cool completely and cut into 40 squares. Store in an airtight container.

Cooks Notes - I have gone through 10 pounds of blueberries trying to come up with the idea I had for a combination crumble, muffin and cobbler recipe. I am proud to say I think I finally did it.

In my picture you will see two ways of serving. The one is as a bar. The other is how my mother used to serve her cobbler. You pour some heavy cream in the bottom of a bowl and place a good size piece in it. Top with whipped cream. It is decadent but worth it. Enjoy!