Raspberry Breakfast Bars

I simply love the rustic look and tangy taste of these raspberry bars... but my husband and son think that these "pink" sandwich bars are too girly for them and didn't like them as much as I do.

This recipe originates from the book, Baked: New Frontiers in Baking and has been baked by Smitten Kitchen. These fruity bars aren't too sweet and great to be consumed as our daily lunchbox fillers.

 

Here's the recipe from Smitten Kitchen.

(with my slight modifications and motes in blue)

For the crust and crumb:
1 1/2 cups all-purpose flour
1 cup firmly packed dark brown sugar (I used dark Muscovado sugar for extra flavour)

1 1/4 cups rolled oats
3/4 tsp salt
3/4 tsp baking powder
1/2 tsp baking soda
1/2 tsp cinnamon
3/4 cup unsalted butter, cut into 1-inch pieces

For the raspberry filling:
1/4 cup firmly packed dark brown sugar (I used dark Muscovado sugar)
1 tbsp grated lemon zest
1/2 tsp cinnamon
2 tbsp all-purpose flour
1 pound raspberries, fresh or frozen (I used the frozen ones)
1/4 cup fresh lemon juice
2 tbsp unsalted butter, melted and cooled

Make the crust and crumb: Preheat the oven to 350°F (or 160°C fan forced). Butter the bottom and sides of a 9-by-13-inch glass or light-colored metal baking pan. Put a long piece of parchment paper in the bottom of the pan, letting the parchment extend up the two short sides of the pan and overhang slightly on both ends. Butter the parchment. (I line my baking pan with baking paper and didn't grease my pan and baking paper.)

Put the flour, brown sugar, oats, salt, baking powder, baking soda, and cinnamon in a food processor. Pulse in short bursts until combined. Add the butter and pulse until loose crumbs form.

Reserve 1 1/2 cup of the mixture and set aside. Pour the rest of the mixture into the prepared pan and use your hands or the back of a large wooden spoon to push the crust into an even layer at the bottom of the pan. The crust should touch the sides of the pan. Bake until golden brown, 12 to 15 min. Transfer to a wire rack and let the crust cool. Keep the oven on while you make the raspberry filling.

Make the raspberry filling: In a medium bowl, whisk the sugar, lemon zest, cinnamon and flour together. Add the raspberries, lemon juice and butter and use your hands to toss gently until the raspberries are evenly coated.

Assemble and bake the bars: Spread the raspberry filling evenly on top of the cooled crust. Sprinkle the reserved crust mixture evenly on top of the filling.

Bake for 35 to 45 min, rotating the pan every 15 minutes, until the top is golden brown and the filling starts to bubble around the edges.

Transfer to a wire rack to cool completely, then cut into squares (or bars shapes) and serve. The bars can be stored in the refrigerator in an airtight container for up to two days.

Note: Using 1/3 of the recipe, I've baked the bars using 10 cm x 20 cm loaf pan and baked the base for 15 min and the bars with raspberry filling for another 35 min. I can yield 5 bars (size about 4 cm x 10 cm) with this amount that I baked.

Happy Baking
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