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Blueberry Bars with Lemon Thyme Shortbread Crust and Lattice
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Blueberry Bars with Lemon Thyme Shortbread Crust and Lattice to WOW the neighbors! Bottom Shortbread Cookie Crust: 1/2 cup (2 oz) confectioners’ sugar | |
1 1/2 cups (7 1/2 oz) | unbleached all-purpose flour, (measured with scoop and sweep) |
3/4 cup (6 oz) | unsalted butter |
pinch | salt |
1 teaspoon lemon thyme, finely chopped (optional) – my kids didn’t notice it and it makes it more interesting for us adults. You can add more if you love the taste of thyme. Blueberry Filling: | |
6 cups | fresh or frozen blueberries |
1 tablespoon | fresh ginger, finely chopped |
1/2 cup | sugar |
2 tablespoons | cornstarch |
Cream Cheese Dough for Lattice Top Crust: | |
8 ounces | cream cheese |
1/2 cup (4 oz) | unsalted butter |
1/2 cup (2 oz) confectioner’s sugar | |
2 cups (9 oz) | unbleached all-purpose flour, (measured with spoon and sweep) |
Egg wash for top crust (1 egg mixed with 1 tablespoon water)
Sugar to sprinkle on top crust
How to make the Bar:
Preheat the oven to 350°F. Grease a 9 x9-inch Square Baking pan (you can make this same recipe in a 12-by-8-1/2-Inch Lasagna Baking pan, but it will come out much thinner.)
To make bottom crust:
In a Food Processor combine the confectioners’ sugar, flour, butter, salt and thyme.
Process the ingredients until it forms dough. If you are using cold butter this may take a few minutes. (Don’t wash the bowl, we will use it again for the cream cheese dough.)
Press the dough into the prepared pan. Lay a piece of plastic wrap over the top and then rub it smooth.
Bake on the middle rack for about 2o minutes, just until it is light gold. Allow the crust to cool while you prepare the cream cheese dough and filling.
In the food processor cream together the cream cheese, butter and confectioners’ sugar.
Add the flour and pulse the dough until it comes together in a soft ball. Divide the ball in two discs and refrigerate for about one hour.
While the dough is chilling prepare the blueberries: In a sauce pan add the blueberries and ginger. In a small bowl whisk together the sugar and cornstarch, then add it to the blueberries. Cook over low heat until the blueberries thicken and reduce by about half.
When you are done cooking them you will have about 2 1/2 cups of blueberry filling. Set aside while you prepare the lattice.
Once the cream cheese dough is chilled, roll it out on a well floured surface and then use a Pastry Wheel to create strips. You can make them thick of thin, depending on what look you are going for. These strips are about 1/2-inch thick.
Lay out half the strips on a sheet of parchment, set on a cookie sheet, with some space between the strips.
Fold up every other strip and lay one of the remaining strips across those still laid flat.
Repeat with the next rows until you reach the bottom.
Start back at the middle and do the same on the other side.
Place the cookie sheet with lattice in the freezer to stiffen.
Pour the blueberry filling over the thyme shorbread crust and let it sit while you wait for the lattice to chill.
Remove the lattice from the freezer and make sure it is the right size. This is just done by eyeballing it next to the pan, then use the pastry wheel to trim excess. You can always trim more when you place it on the filling. Quickly brush the lattice with the egg wash.
Carefully lift the lattice with a wide spatula and your hands. If the lattice is chilled well enough this should be a very easy task. If it is still too soft return it to the freezer until it is harder. Trim any excess. Sprinkle with the sugar.
Bake for about 35 to 40 minutes or until the crust is golden and filling bubbling.
Recipe uploaded with Shop'NCook for iPhone.
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