Cherry Bars

Author: Veena Azmanov

Prep Time: 15

Cook Time: 45

Cooling Time: 3

Total Time: 4

Coooking Temperature: 375°F/190°C / Gas Mark 4

Calories: 10

Adjust Servings Here: 16 squares

Description

Give your classic cherry pie filling a crumble twist with these cherry bars. Sweet cherries between a rich, buttery base on the bottom and crumble on top. It's a surprisingly easy recipe to make any time of the year.

Ingredients

Crumble mixture

2 cup (250 g) All-purpose flour
¾ cup (170 g) Butter (1 1/2 stick) unsalted, chilled
¾ cup (150 g) Sugar white
2 tbsp Milk
2 tsp Vanilla
¼ tsp Salt
½ tsp Spice powder optional

Cherry filling

4 cups (600 g) Cherries, pitted
½ cup (100 g) Sugar
1 tbsp Lemon juice
2 tbsp Cornstarch
¼ cup (60 ml) Water

Instructions

Preheat the oven: Preheat your oven to 350°F /175°C/ Gas mark 4. Grease an 8 x 8-inch baking dish or a 7 x 9-inch rectangle pan and line it with parchment paper, leaving some overhang for easy removal.
Dough - Combine the flour, powdered sugar, and salt in a large bowl. Add the cubed cold butter and mix with a pastry cutter or your fingers until the mixture resembles coarse crumbs. Add the egg yolk and mix until the dough starts to come together. Add cold water and combine well, but still crumbly.
2 cup All-purpose flour, 3/4 cup Butter, 3/4 cup Sugar, 2 tbsp Milk, 2 tsp Vanilla, 1/4 tsp Salt, 1/2 tsp Spice powder
Divide the Dough: Divide the dough into two portions, one slightly larger than the other. Press the larger portion into the prepared baking dish to form an even layer. Reserve the smaller portion for the crumble topping.
Bake the Base: Bake the base layer in the preheated oven for about 15 minutes or until it starts to turn golden. Remove from the oven and let it cool slightly while you prepare the cherry filling.
Cherry filling: Place cherries in a saucepan with the sugar, lemon juice, and half the water. Heat on low to medium until sugar is dissolved. In a separate bowl, combine the remaining water with the cornstarch. Combine well so the cornstarch does not settle on the bottom. Add the cornstarch water to the cherries. Continue to cook on low – the mixture will thicken and look glossy. It's ready when thick enough to coat the back of a wooden spoon or spatula. Cool completely. Cooling will thicken the filling some more. Set aside.
4 cups Cherries, pitted, ½ cup Sugar, 1 tbsp Lemon juice, 2 tbsp Cornstarch, ¼ cup Water
Assemble: Pour the cherry filling over the base and spread evenly. Generously sprinkle the chilled crumble topping all over the filling.
Bake the Bars: Return the baking dish to the oven and bake for an additional 30-35 minutes or until the crumble topping is golden brown and the cherry filling is bubbling.
Cool and Serve: Allow the bars to cool completely in the baking dish. Once cooled, use the parchment paper overhang to lift the bars out of the dish and cut into squares.

The nutrition information and metric conversion are calculated automatically. I cannot guarantee its accuracy. If this data is important to you please verify with your trusted nutrition calculator. Thank you