She reached for the plain sugar cookie and left the crumb
bars. Those ones I made with fresh strawberries, I said, go ahead and try one.
She was amazed. I thought it was jam and that it would be too sweet. Oh, these
are good! Leilah inherited my palate. We don’t like overly sweet things.
Neither of us smoked and our taste buds are still in overdrive. In the end, she
left three for her dad and packed up the rest. What a difference fresh fruit
makes!
FRESH STRAWBERRY CRUMB BARS
Base:
1-2/3 cups flour
1/3 cup sugar
1/2 tsp baking powder
1 pinch of salt
finely grated rind of half a lemon
1/3 cup butter, soft
1 egg, lightly beaten
Strawberry Filling:
2 cup diced fresh strawberries
1/2 cup sugar
1 Tbsp lemon juice
Crumble Top:
1-1/3 cup flour
1/3 cup sugar
1/2 cup butter
- Preheat the oven to 350F.
- Line a 9X13 inch baking pan with parchment paper.
- Place the flour, sugar, baking powder, salt in a large bowl and whisk to combine.
- Add the lemon rind and stir to distribute evenly throughout the flour mixture.
- Rub the butter into the flour mixture.
- Stir in the beaten egg.
- Press the mixture into the prepared pan
- Bake the base in the preheated for 20 to 25 minutes or until golden and firm.
- Let it cool.
- Meanwhile wash a hull the strawberries and dice them uniform.
- Place the diced strawberries in a small bowl.
- Add the sugar and the lemon juice and give it a stir.
- Next, prepare the crumble topping.
- In a bowl, whisk together the flour, sugar, and rub the butter into it.
- Layer the strawberry mixture on top of the cooled base.
- Top with the crumble topping.
- Return to the oven and bake for 35 to 40 minutes or until golden.
