Raspberry Lemon Crumble Bars with Drizzle
Equipment
- Pastry cutter or fork or hands
- Whisk
- Spoon or piping bag (for drizzle)
Ingredients
Crust and Crumble:
- 2 cups unbleached all-purpose flour, spooned and leveled 240g
- ½ cup granulated sugar 100g
- ¼ tsp salt
- 1 cup salted butter, cold and cubed 225g
- 1 tsp vanilla extract
Raspberry Lemon Filling:
- 2 cups fresh or frozen raspberries (if frozen, thaw and drain) 240g
- ¼ to ½ cup granulated sugar, see note below 65g to 100g
- 2 tbsp lemon juice, freshly squeezed
- 1 tbsp lemon zest
- 1 tbsp cornstarch
- ¼ tsp salt
Sweet Drizzle:
- ¾ cup 90g powdered sugar 90g
- 1-2 tbsp lemon juice or milk, adjust for consistency
- ½ tsp vanilla extract
Instructions
- Preheat and Pan Prep: Preheat oven to 375°F (190°C). Line an 8x8-inch baking pan with parchment paper, leaving overhang for easy removal.
- Prepare the Crust and Crumble: In a large bowl, combine flour, sugar, and salt. Add cold butter cubes and vanilla extract. Use a pastry cutter or fingers to work butter into flour until the mixture resembles coarse crumbs. Reserve 1 cup of the mixture for the crumble topping. Press the remaining mixture firmly into the pan to form the crust.
- Bake Crust: Bake for 20–22 minutes, until lightly golden. Let cool slightly.
- Make the Raspberry Lemon Filling: Taste raspberries to determine sweetness. In a medium bowl, mix raspberries, ¼ to ½ cup sugar (based on sweetness), lemon juice, lemon zest, cornstarch, and salt. Gently mash some raspberries, leaving others whole.
- Assemble Bars: Spread the raspberry filling evenly over the pre-baked crust. Sprinkle the reserved crumble mixture evenly over the filling.
- Bake Assembled Bars: Bake at 375°F for 40–45 minutes, until the crumble is golden and the filling is bubbly. If the topping browns too quickly, cover loosely with foil for the last 10 minutes.
- Cool and Cut: Let bars cool completely in the pan on a wire rack (about 1–2 hours) for clean slices. Lift bars out using parchment overhang and cut into 16 squares.
- Add the Sweet Drizzle: In a small bowl, mix powdered sugar with lemon juice or milk. Add more liquid (½ tsp at a time) until pourable but thick. Stir in 1/2 tsp vanilla extract, if using. Drizzle glaze over cooled bars in a zigzag pattern using a spoon or piping bag.
Notes
-
Parchment Paper Tip: Wetting and crumpling a sheet of parchment paper before lining the 8x8-inch pan makes it easier to fit into corners and ensures smooth removal of the bars.
- Sweetness Adjustment: Taste raspberries before mixing to choose the right sugar amount.
- Sweet Raspberries: 1/4 cup (50g) granulated sugar
- Moderately sweet raspberries: 1/3 cup (65g) granulated sugar
- Tart raspberries: 1/2 cup (100g) granulated sugar
- Drizzle Suggestion: The sweet drizzle balances tartness, so don’t skip it if berries are tangy.
- Storage: Store in an airtight container in the fridge for up to 5 days. Freeze for up to 3 months; thaw in the fridge overnight.
Nutrition
Serving: 1bar
Servings: 16 bars
