Blueberry Crumb Bars
————(adapted from Cookin’ Canuck)
4 cups fresh or frozen blueberries
3 Tbsp lemon juice
1 tsp lemon zest
1/2 cup granulated sugar
4 tsp cornstarch
scant 1/2 cup granulated sugar
scant 1/2 cup brown sugar
3 cups flour
1 tsp baking powder
1/4 tsp salt
½ tsp ground cinnamon
¼ tsp ground ginger
¼ tsp ground nutmeg
1 cup (2 sticks) cold butter
1 egg
¾ cup chopped walnuts, optional
Preheat the oven to 375°F. Grease a 9×13 inch baking pan (or spray with baking Pamm, the kind with flour).
In a medium bowl, combine the blueberries, lemon juice and lemon zest. Stir together 1/2 cup granulated sugar and 4 tsp cornstarch; stir into blueberries. Set aside.
In a separate medium bowl, combine scant 1/2 cup each of granulated sugar and brown sugar. Stir in flour, baking powder, salt, cinnamon, ginger, and nutmeg. Cut in cold butter with a pastry cutter or a fork until the mixture is crumbly. Whisk one egg in a small bowl and stir into the flour mixture.
Press about 2/3 of the flour mixture into the bottom of the prepared pan. Spread the blueberry mixture over the crust. Optional: Stir chopped walnuts into remaining flour mixture. Sprinkle mixture over the blueberries.
Bake in the preheated oven for 40-45 minutes, or until the top is light brown and blueberries are bubbly. Let the bars cool on a rack and then place in the fridge to chill. This will make the bars easier to cut and remove from the pan. Cut into squares.
Makes about 36 squares.
