Raspberry Crumble Breakfast BarsPrint Recipe

I am wondering why these bars are called breakfast bars because aside from a handful of oats and fresh raspberries there is not much else that says ‘breakfast’ to me. But no matter because they are very good and there is nothing stopping you from eating them at any time of the day – particularly after dinner with a scoop of your best vanilla ice cream.

In my mind they are a structured form of a crumble, which is why I changed their name from a ‘crumb’ bar to a ‘crumble’ bar. The flavours are the same, the golden brown colouring and caramelized taste that comes from combining butter and brown sugar – throw in some oats and pecans and you get a whole lot of wholesome looking texture (and the excuse to eat them for breakfast). Of course this wonderfully oaty base and crumb compliments the slightly tart raspberry mixture perfectly.

These won’t be breakfast for my family but that shouldn’t stop anyone else (remember the oats!). Personally, I think they might be a nice mid-afternoon snack with a strong cup of tea.

Base and Crumble Ingredients
1 1/2 cups all-purpose flour
1 cup firmly packed dark brown sugar
1 1/4 cups rolled oats
3/4 teaspoon salt
3/4 teaspoon baking powder
1/2 teaspoon baking soda
1/2 teaspoon cinnamon
170 grams/6 ounces unsalted butter, cut into 1-inch pieces
1/2 cup chopped pecans

Raspberry Filling
1/4 cup firmly packed dark brown sugar
1 tablespoon grated lemon zest
1/2 teaspoon cinnamon
2 tablespoons all-purpose flour
500 grams/1 pound raspberries, fresh or frozen
1/4 cup fresh lemon juice
2 tablespoons unsalted butter, melted and cooled

Preheat the oven to 175c/350f. Butter the bottom and sides of a 9 x 13 inch baking pan. Put a long piece of parchment paper in the bottom of the pan, letting the parchment extend up the two short sides of the pan and overhang slightly on both ends. Butter the parchment.

Put the flour, brown sugar, oats, salt, baking powder, baking soda, and cinnamon in a food processor. Pulse in short bursts until combined. Add the butter and pulse until loose crumbs form (I actually did all of this with my hands and it was fine).

Reserve 1 1/2 cups of the mixture, mix through the pecans and set aside. Pour the rest of the mixture into the prepared pan and use your hands or the back of a large spoon to push the base into an even layer at the bottom of the pan. Bake until golden brown, 12 to 15 minutes. Transfer to a wire rack and let the crust cool. Keep the oven on while you make the raspberry filling.

To make the raspberry filling, whisk the sugar, lemon zest, cinnamon and flour together in a bowl. Add the raspberries, lemon juice and butter and use your hands to toss gently until the raspberries are evenly coated.

Spread the raspberry filling evenly on top of the cooled crust. Sprinkle the reserved mixture evenly on top of the filling. Bake for 35 to 40 minutes, rotating the pan every 15 minutes, until the top is golden brown and the filling starts to bubble around the edges.

Transfer to a wire rack to cool completely, then cut into squares and serve. The bars can be stored in the refrigerator in an airtight container for up to two days.

Source:an adapted version of the Raspberry Crumb Breakfast Bars from Baked: New Frontiers in Baking

© 2011, Michelle. All rights reserved.