The best fruit — bar none
A Pinch of Salt
By Donna Marie Riani
The summer season has officially started — or as I like to call it, strawberry season. If you’ve been to a farmers market or your local grocery store you’ve seen lots of lovely little cartons of these red juicy berries. When the climate, the farmers and the land play well together we are rewarded with sweet juicy strawberries that would rival any candy bar in terms of sweetness. When Oregon strawberries are at their peak of ripeness they are outstanding.
There are several family-owned u-pick berry farms throughout Oregon that grow these sweet treats. Oregon has its very own strawberry commission created to help support these family farms through promotion and education. It’s quick and convenient to purchase strawberries at a store near you, but it’s an experience to go to one of these farms, basket in hand, and pick strawberries to your heart’s content. There is something about being out in the field. It feels like a throwback to another time and it also gives a deep appreciation for the farmers and all their hard work. I firmly believe that every other strawberry wishes it was an Oregon strawberry!
This recipe feels to me like summer on a plate. It’s sweet but also refreshing because of the strawberries and the lime. I know the norm is to combine strawberries with lemon but I personally love limes. The lime juice brings a tropical flair. You can use any fruit in this recipe but I feel like strawberries really shine in this bar. This recipe is everything I want in a bar. It has a crumbly shortbread cookie crust, that delicious strawberry layer, a buttery crumble topping and a zippy lime glaze. I realize drizzling the bars with a lime glaze feels a little over the top and unnecessary. Well, it is over the top — and I highly recommend you do it!
Strawberry Crumble Bars
Cookie Crust
1 1/2 cups all-purpose flour
1/2 teaspoon baking powder
1/2 teaspoon salt
1/2 cup white sugar
3/4 cup softened butter
1/2 teaspoon vanilla extract
Strawberry Layer
1 pint fresh strawberries, washed, hulled and cut in half (larger berries should be quartered)
1/4 cup white sugar (if your berries are really sweet, you can reduce the amount of sugar to an 1/8 cup)
1/2 tablespoon lime zest, (be sure to buy organic when using the zest)
1/2 tablespoon lime juice
3 tablespoons cornstarch
Crumble Topping
1/2 cup all-purpose flour
1/2 cup brown sugar, lightly packed
1/4 teaspoon ground cinnamon
1/4 teaspoon ground cardamom
1/4 teaspoon salt
3 tablespoons softened butter
Lime Glaze
1/4 cup powdered sugar
2 teaspoons lime juice
Preheat the oven to 350 degrees. Spray or butter an 8x8 baking pan and line the bottom with parchment paper. Set aside.
To make the cookie crust, cream together the butter, sugar and vanilla for about two minutes. The mixture should look well combined and creamy. You can do this by hand or with a mixer. Add in the flour, baking powder and salt. Mix until combined. Place the dough in the prepared pan. Using your hand, pat the dough firmly and evenly into the pan. Place the pan into the preheated oven and bake for 15 minutes. This will par-bake the crust, it will not be fully baked at this point. Set it aside to cool completely.
While the crust is cooling, start on the strawberry layer. Place all the strawberry filling ingredients in a medium bowl and stir to combine. Set aside.
To make the crumble topping, place all the crumble ingredients in a medium bowl and mix until combined. I like to use my hands for this step, so I can work the butter into the dry ingredients.
Place the strawberry mixture over the cooled cookie crust and make sure to spread it evenly.
Sprinkle the crumb topping evenly over the strawberry layer.
Bake in a preheated oven for about 35-45 minutes. The crumb topping should be golden brown when it’s done.
Place the pan on a wire rack to cool completely before drizzling with the glaze.
Before cutting the bars, make the glaze. Combine the powdered sugar and the lime juice in a small bowl. The glaze should be thin enough to drizzle over the bars. If it isn't, add more lime juice, one teaspoon at a time, till you achieve drizzling consistency.
After adding the drizzle, remove from the pan and cut into nine or 12 bars.