Easy to make an fun to eat is what these strawberry crumble bars are about. Filled with fresh strawberry compote these bars scream summertime. Served warm and soft with a scoop of ice cream or cooled firm you cannot go wrong with this recipe.Â
When fruit is at is freshest I love making these bars. I have always loved the taste of strawberries every since I was a child. We had a vine or two of them in our backyard when I was growing up. This is just a little nod to that time The other thing that makes this a fun recipe is that you can do it with your kids. This is a great introduction to baking and plus if you have some extra strawberries I am sure they will enjoy eating them nice a fresh.Â
In this recipe
The most important thing is making sure you have nice sweet strawberries so it is always good to buy an extra package for quality control. Actually I just keep another package so I can eat them while I am baking. If the strawberries are still to get soft that is ok as long as they aren’t rotten/moldy. I have always wondered how strawberries last only 2 days before they start that downward spiral. Even if they have started you can still use them in this recipe.Â
The food processor is your friend
While you can use a pastry blender, forks, or knives to cut in the butter I have found that a food processor is the best. The reason I say this is why you add the liquid ingredient since there isn’t a lot of it it tends to clump. The food processor helps prevent this clumping from happening. This dough is on the dry side and should hold together when squeezed .Â
Making the strawberry crumble bars
Once the crumble has been made and the compote has cooled it is time to assemble. The first thing you want to do is to pour about 2/3 of the crumb mixture on the bottom. Then either use a small rolling pin if you have one, a cup or glass with a flat bottom, or my personal favorite with your hands. Secondly you will want to spread the strawberry compote evenly across the bottom layer. It is ok if it touches the parchment paper. Finally sprinkle the remaining crumble on top. If you want less crumble put more on the bottom.Â
A couple of tips
- You want to make sure that the crumble is tightly packed. This way when it is removed from the pan they won’t fall apart.
- I prefer to use parchment paper than greasing the sides of the baking dish. The reason for that is it comes out much more easily and has a tendency not to crack or split as much.
- If you don’t have fresh strawberries then frozen ones we just as well. You will end up cooking them longer to get them to release their juices.
- These are better served cool if you want them to keep their shape. If you serve them warm use a bowl and top with ice cream.
Looking for another bar recipe
Strawberry Crumble Bars
Equipment
- Sauce pan
- Spatula
- Mixing Bowl
- 9 x 13 inch baking dish
- Food processor
- Parchment paper
Ingredients
Strawberry compote
- 2 lbs strawberries quartered and tops removed
- ½ cup brown sugar packed
- 2 tbsp cornstarch
- 1 tbsp lemon juice
- 1 tbsp lemon zest
- ¼ tsp salt
Crumble
- 3 cups all-purpose flour
- ½ cup granulated sugar
- 1 cup brown sugar packed
- ½ tsp baking powder
- 1 tsp cornstarch
- ½ tsp salt
- 1 cup butter cold (frozen is best) and unsalted
- 1 egg
- ½ tsp vanilla extract
- 2 tbsp lemon juice
Instructions
- Preheat oven to 350°F, 175°C or gas mark 4 and line the 9 x 13 inch baking dish with parchment paper. Set aside.
- In a mixing bowl combine strawberries, sugar, cornstarch, lemon juice, and salt and toss the strawberries to evenly combine them.
- In a heavy bottomed sauce pan add the strawberry mixture and heat to medium.
- Stir frequently until strawberries release their juices and increase the heat if needed to bring to a boil. Cook until the mixture has thickened. Continue to boil, constantly stirring, for about a min but not too much longer than 2.
- Remove the pan from the heat and allow mixture to cool.
For Crumble
- In a food processor add the flour, both sugars, baking powder, cornstarch, and salt. Pulse until it is evenly mixed. Add the butter, lemon juice, eggs, and vanilla and pulse until the butter has been well incorporated. The mixture will look and feel dry this is ok.
- The dough should hold its shape when you squeeze together but just barely.
- Pour approximately â…” of the crumble mixture into your prepared pan and evenly press the crumble mixture into your pan. You want to make sure it is packed enough that it sticks together.
- Using a spatula smooth the strawberry mixture evenly across the bottom layer. Then sprinkle the remaining crumble on top.
- Bake for 50-60 minutes or until the top turns golden brown.
- Allow to cool before slicing.
Notes
Nutrition
