These blueberry crumb bars are made with a buttery shortbread dough that doubles as both the base and crumble topping, with a thick layer of sweet blueberry jam baked in between. The combination of crisp golden crumble and soft blueberry filling creates the perfect balance of buttery, fruity flavor in every bite. Easy to make and perfect for sharing, these homemade blueberry bars are ideal for everything from summer gatherings to everyday baking.
Preheat the oven to 175ºC /350ºF conventional oven. Prepare a 20x20 cm /8x8 inch square pan with parchment paper.
Add the blueberries, granulated sugar and lemon juice to a saucepan and heat it up until the blueberries start to break down, and the liquid has come to a bubble. Once bubbling, turn it down to a simmer. Stir occasionally with a rubber spatula.
400 g blueberries, 80 g granulated sugar, 2 teaspoon lemon juice
Let it simmer for 8 minutes or until the blueberry jam has thickened. Then in a cup mix together cornstarch and water and pour it into the jam. Continuously stir it around for 1 minute while it thickens.
1 ½ teaspoon cornstarch, 1 tablespoon water
Pour the jam into a shallow bowl, covered with plastic wrap, to let it cool down faster, and place it in the fridge. Let it cool down while making the shortbread crust.
SHORTBREAD CRUST
Start creaming together the butter and powdered sugar. Mix it on high speed for about 2 minutes.
85 g powdered sugar, 170 g butter
Then add the all-purpose flour and salt and mix it until it just forms a crumbly structure.
210 g all-purpose flour, ¼ teaspoon salt
Add ⅔ of the dough to the prepared baking pan and gently press it down into an even layer.
Then add the blueberry jam and lastly top it with the remaining shortbread, sprinkling it in an even layer.
Bake for about 38-45 minutes or until the edges are light golden-brown and the blueberry filling is bubbling. Let it cool down completely at room temperature on a wire rack before placing it in the fridge for a minimum of 3 hours or overnight for the filling to set.
Optionally, dust the bars with powdered sugar and cut them into slices. Store it in the fridge for up to 4 days.
Tip: The secret to clean slices is running the knife under a hot tap, and drying it off, between each cut.