Strawberry Crumble Bars
Looking for a new treat to make for Valentine’s Day? These bars are very easy to put together and require few ingredients – plus, they’re rich, delicious and nice and festive. You could totally sub the strawberry jam out for whatever you like but I find strawberry to be kid friendly and comforting.
INGREDIENTS
- 2 sticks (1/2 lb) unsalted butter, room temperature
- 3/4 cup sugar
- 1 tsp vanilla extract
- 2 1/3 cups all-purpose flour
- 1/2 tsp salt
- 10-12 oz. good strawberry jam (don’t worry, if you use Smucker’s, they’ll still be delicious)
- Feel free to substitute whatever jam you prefer
- 2/3 cup good granola without dried fruit or nuts
HOW TO MAKE IT
- Preheat the oven to 350°F
- Place the butter and sugar in the bowl of your electric mixer fitted with a paddle attachment and mix on medium speed until just combined
- While the mixer is on low, add in the vanilla
- Sift together the flour and salt and, with the mixer on low, slowly add it to the butter mixture
- Let this go until the mixture comes together and almost forms a ball – be patient, it will seem very crumbly for awhile but it will eventually come together
- Once it has come together, turn the ball of dough out into a lightly floured surface – divide the dough into thirds and place 2/3 of the the dough into a 9″ square baking pan
- Using your fingers, press the dough down into an even layer in the pan and let 1/4″ of the dough come up the sides
- Spread the jam evenly over the dough, leaving a 1/4″ border
- Mix the granola into the remaining 1/3 of dough and then break the dough into small pieces and distribute it over the jam – covering most of the surface
- Bake at 350°F for 45 minutes or until slightly browned
Source: Recipe adapted from Barefoot Contessa