Blackberry Lemon Bars

Even I can’t deny it anymore, I obviously have a thing for blackberries and have added them into quite a few of my recipes now.

Can anyone really blame me though? The flavor is so wonderful and versatile. The sweet little berries pair well with so many flavors. In these lemon bars the sweetness of the berry helps to mellow out the bright tang of the lemon without overwhelming the flavor.

Tip #1
Line your tray or dish with parchment paper. Lemon bars do not like to be removed from their pan. I lightly spray my pan with non-stick spray, lay down the parchment paper, and then build the crust on top.
It will also save you time with dishes.

Tip #2
Bake your crust first, lemon bars need a firm foundation.

Tip #3
Refrigerate before cutting the bars. After the bars come out of the oven, cool at room temperature until the pan has cooled (30-45 minutes) then put in the fridge for a few hours.

Tip #4
If the bars aren’t being served until later, even if the bars are cut earlier, don’t add the dusting of powdered sugar until the bars are being served. The moisture in the refrigerator will just melt it into a sticky sugar glaze

Tip #5
Have A LOT of wipes on hand if the lemon bars are being served to children.

 

 

Active Time: 30 minutes
Refrigerate: 2+ hours
Serves: 12 generous servings

Crust

• 1c. Unsalted butter, melted
• 1/2c. Powdered sugar
• 1tsp. Vanilla
• 1/2tsp. Salt
• 2c. Flour
• 1/4tsp. Nutmeg

Lemon filling

• 1c. Granulated sugar
• 1/4c. Flour
• 4 Eggs
• 1/2c. Lemon juice, fresh
• 1/4c. Blackberry jam
• 1/2c. Fresh blackberries, sliced in half
• 1tsp. Granulated sugar
• Powdered sugar for dusting

1. Preheat the oven to 325°
2. Spray a 9×13 pan with non-stick spray and line with parchment paper.
3. In a medium bowl mix the melted butter, powdered sugar, vanilla, salt, flour, and nutmeg until a dough begins to form.
4. Press the dough into the bottom of the lined 9×13 until an even crust covers the bottom of the pan.
5. Bake the crust for 15 minutes.
6. While the crust is in the oven use a mixer to combine the sugar, flour, and lemon juice.
7. Add the eggs one at a time, incorporating each egg before adding the next.
8. When the crust is done pour the lemon mixture over the crust.
9. Add the jam to the pan and swirl with a spoon.
10. In a small bowl, dust the fresh blackberries with the tsp of sugar.
11. Evenly spread the fresh blackberries in the pan.
12. Bake for 25 minutes.
13. Allow the pan to cool at room temperature for 30-45 minutes before refrigerating.
14. Refrigerate for 2 hours.
15. Using the parchment paper to remove the bars from the pan, gently transfer to a cutting board and slice into 12 or more servings.
16. Dust with powdered sugar and enjoy!

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