Boysenberry Bars

If you followed my escapades on Sunday you know that I bought a flat of boysenberries and made all sorts of things, jam being one of them. I'm a firm believer that jam isn't just for toast or peanut butter sandwiches. You can make jam cakes, put a dollop in the center of muffins before baking, on top of thumbprint cookies, warm and use as a glaze for meats, put in salad dressings. Today I made a bar recipe with my boysenberry jam.

This bar is sweet from the jam and buttery from the crust and crumbly top. You can easily substitute any kind of jam which makes it quite versatile. They are made in the bowl of a food processor thus easy to make and easy to clean up! Not to mention they melt in your mouth. They remind me of a berry crisp, with the crumbly topping.  This recipe is adapted from one by The Pioneer Woman.

Lightly pulse the ingredients until the butter is blended and crumbly.

Pat half the crumbly mixture in baking pan; top with jam (isn't my jam gorgeous?)

Sprinkle the remaining crumb mixture evenly over the preserves and press lightly.

Let cool completely (if you can, your kitchen will smell wonderful!) and cut into squares. The combination of the sweet jam, streusel topping and cinnamon is fantastic.  I've been told the squares can be wrapped in plastic and frozen.  They never last that long in our house!

Boysenberry Bars

Preheat oven to 350.

1 1/2 cups flour
1 teaspoon baking powder
1/2 teaspoon salt
1/2 teaspoon cinnamon
1/4 teaspoon ground nutmeg
1 1/2 cups old-fashioned oats (not the quick kind)
1 cup brown sugar, packed
14 tablespoons unsalted butter, cold and cut into small cubes
1 jar (about 12 ounces) fruit jam or preserves

Line an 8" square pan with parchment paper, leaving a 2" overhang.  Spray parchment with non-stick spray or coat with softened butter.

Put all the ingredients except the butter and jam in the food processor and pulse until everything is blended together.  Add the butter cubes and pulse until blended and crumbly. Press half the mixture into the prepared pan.  Spread with the jam. Sprinkle the remaining crumble mixture evenly over the jam and press lightly.

Bake in the preheated oven for 35-40 minutes or until light brown. Let cool completely and then lift bars out of pan and cut into squares. (You can also omit the parchment paper and leave the bars in the pan for serving).



Join me Friday at Rattlebridge Farm for more great recipes!