Blackberry Bonanza

I’m not a huge fan of fruit, but I do love me some blackberries. Tart, yet sweet, and totally popable. Also I have a strong emotional attachment to blackberries. My grandpa used to grow them, and when I was little we would go pick them. It was the biggest thrill to find a huge blackberry that wasn’t rotting or had a bite out of it. We would take the berries back to my mom and grandma and they would make a pie or cobbler or we would have blackberry shortcake. I very much prefer blackberry shortcake to strawberry shortcake. Given my affinity for this lil’ berry, I was anxious to try this recipe:Blackberry Crumb Bars. It’s from my girl Martha, and it was pretty easy. Great summer dessert. Also a great way to use up blackberries from the farmer’s market!!

 

Ingredients

• 6 tablespoons unsalted butter melted, and 1/2 cup (1 stick), room temperature, plus more for pan
• 1 3/4 cups all-purpose flour (spooned and leveled), plus more for pan
• 1/2 cup packed light-brown sugar
• 1/2 teaspoon salt
• 1/2 teaspoon baking powder
• 1 cup confectioners’ sugar
• 1/2 teaspoon pure vanilla extract
• 2 large eggs
• 2 containers (5 ounces each) blackberries

Instructions

1. Preheat oven to 350 degrees. Butter an 8-inch square baking pan. Line bottom with parchment paper, leaving an overhang on two sides; butter and flour paper, tapping out excess.
2. Make topping: In a medium bowl, whisk together melted butter, brown sugar, and 1/4 teaspoon salt; add 1 cup flour, and mix with a fork until large moist crumbs form. Refrigerate topping until ready to use.
3. In a medium bowl, whisk together remaining 3/4 cup flour, baking powder, and remaining 1/4 teaspoon salt; set aside. In a large bowl, using an electric mixer, beat room-temperature butter, confectioners’ sugar, and vanilla until light and fluffy; add eggs, one at a time, beating well after each addition. Reduce speed to low; mix in flour mixture. Spread batter evenly in pan; sprinkle with blackberries, then chilled topping.
4. Bake until golden and a toothpick inserted in center comes out with moist crumbs attached, 40 to 45 minutes. Cool completely in pan. Using paper overhang, lift cake onto a work surface; cut into 16 squares.

My Notes…

I used Pam to spray the parchment paper, and I didn’t flour it. I don’t think it’s really necessary with parchment paper. I thought these were really tasty, and the recipe is pretty straight forward. Also, I’m pretty lazy, and don’t usually mix the dry ingredients in a bowl before mixing them with the wet stuff. But that’s up to you. Personally I think it all gets mixed in, and I don’t like having to clean another bowl. Also, I cut these into much smaller bites. These are pretty rich with all the butter, but I enjoyed them.