APPLE-RASPBERRY CRUMB BARS

Apple-Raspberry Crumb Bars image

Provided by Samantha Seneviratne

Categories dessert

Time 2h45m

Yield 24 bars

Number Of Ingredients 11

4 small apples, peeled, cored and chopped (about 2 1/2 cups)
2 cups frozen raspberries
1/2 cup granulated sugar
2 teaspoons cornstarch
1 cup (2 sticks) unsalted butter, at room temperature, plus more for the pan
2 1/2 cups all-purpose flour
1 1/2 teaspoons baking powder
3/4 teaspoon kosher salt
1/2 cup packed light-brown or dark-brown sugar
1 large egg
1/2 cup old-fashioned rolled oats

Steps:

Preheat the oven to 350 degrees F. Butter a 9-inch square baking pan and line it with parchment paper, leaving a 2-inch overhang on two sides. In a large bowl, whisk together the flour, baking powder and salt. In a medium bowl, beat the butter and the brown sugar with an electric mixture on medium speed until fluffy, about 2 minutes. Beat in the egg. Spread about two-thirds of the batter evenly over the bottom of the prepared pan with an offset spatula. Bake the bottom crust until it is golden brown, 24 to 26 minutes. Mix the remaining batter with the oats and set aside.
Meanwhile, in a medium saucepan, combine the apples, raspberries and sugar and cook over medium heat, stirring occasionally, until the mixture is bubbling and the fruit has broken down, 5 to 6 minutes. In a small bowl, mix about 3 tablespoons of the fruit mixture with the cornstarch until smooth. Add the cornstarch mixture to the fruit and simmer for another 2 to 3 minutes. Remove the jam from the heat and let cool slightly.
Top the bottom crust with the fruit and spread it out evenly. Top the fruit with the oat crumb mixture, squeezing it to make some larger clumps. Bake until the top is golden brown, 28 to 32 minutes. Transfer the pan to a rack to cool completely. Using the parchment, lift out the entire bar mixture and place it on a cutting board. Cut into squares.