Blackberry Crumb Bars Recipe

Blackberries are in season here in Michigan and we have an abundance of them right now. I had to figure out something to bake with them and blackberry crumb bars seemed like a good choice. These bars are filled with fresh black berries and blackberry jam. What I really like about these bars was the delicious lemon flavor they had. The sugar is mixed with lemon zest and gets infused with a lot of its flavor creating a delicious lemon taste throughout the bars. The frosting for this recipe is totally optional, if you would prefer not to make it, these bars will still taste great. The frosting combines cream cheese, powder sugar, and milk. You may have to play around with it a little to get the right consistency. This recipe is perfect for using fresh blackberries this summer. Enjoy. Adapted from une Gamine dans la Cuisine.

Ingredients:
1 cup white sugar
1 tablespoon fresh lemon zest
1 teaspoon baking powder
3 cups all-purpose flour
1 cup of butter (cold, and cut into pieces)
1 egg
½ teaspoon salt
2 cups fresh blackberries
1 ½ cups blackberry jam
1/8 cup white sugar
3 teaspoon cornstarch
Glaze-
3 ounces cream cheese (at room temperature)
1 ½ cups powder sugar
3 tablespoons milk

Cooking Instructions:

Step 1: Preheat the oven to 375 degrees. Line a 9×13 inch baking dish with aluminum foil. Spray the foil with cooking spray or lightly grease with butter. In a large bowl combine lemon zest, and 1 cup of sugar. Rub the zest into the sugar using a spoon or fork until it becomes somewhat moist. Add flour, baking powder, and salt. Use a fork to blend in the butter. Stir in the egg. The dough should be crumbly and wet.

Step 2: Pat half of the dough evenly onto the bottom of the prepared baking dish. In a separate bowl stir together 1/8 cup of sugar and 3 teaspoons of cornstarch. Gently stir in the blackberries and blackberry jam. Spread the blackberry mixture evenly over the crust. Crumble the remaining dough over the blackberry layer.
Step 3: Place into the oven and bake at 375 degrees for 45 minutes or until the top is slightly browned. Allow the bars to cool completely before cutting into squares.
Step 4: In a large bowl, beat the cream cheese until smooth. Sift in the powered sugar. Add the milk, a little at a time, until the glaze has reached a consistency that it can be drizzled over the bars using a fork. Drizzle the frosting over the cooled brownies.