Blackberry Raspberry Pie Bars
It’s still summer right? The weather here in Boston keeps having mood swings, but as I’ve said multiple times these past few weeks, I’m literally grasping to the last minutes of summer this year. The second I saw these bars come up in my Google Reader, I knew I wanted to make them.
You see, I’m not really a pie person. Don’t get me wrong, I love a good pie, I just don’t enjoy making them. Just look at my blog. I’ve posted over a hundred cupcake recipes, more than 60 brownies and bars recipes, nearly 70 cookie recipes, and only 15 posts in my pies and tarts tag. Pathetic, right? I’m hoping to find some pie mojo this fall, but for now these pie bars more than do the job.
In fact, they’re almost too perfect of a replacement for an actual pie. For starters, you don’t have to deal with rolling a pie crust. Add to that the fact that these little guys are portable. I don’t know about you, but my desserts are always leaving the house with me to go somewhere. Whether it’s work or a friend’s house, if all these desserts didn’t leave the house, Hubby and I would each be about 200 pounds heavier than we are…
I decided to use fresh raspberries and blackberries in the recipe but I love that it actually calls for frozen berries. That means you could make these bars any time of the year! And you can bet that I’ll be making these come February when I’m so sick of winter and craving a taste of summertime.
I ended up baking mine for about 15 extra minutes and the center pieces were still a bit underbaked. Turns out those underbaked pieces were my favorites though!
Blackberry Raspberry Pie Bars
Yield: 24 bars
Ingredients:
Crust and Topping
3 cups flour
1 1/2 cups sugar
1/4 tsp salt
1 1/2 cups (3 sticks) unsalted butter, chilled
Fruit Filling
4 eggs
2 cups sugar
1 cup sour cream
3/4 cup flour
pinch salt
zest of 1/2 lemon
1 tsp almond extract
32 oz total of a mix of fresh or frozen berries, thawed and drained if using frozen
Directions:
To make the crust and topping, preheat the oven to 350 degrees. Grease a 9x13 inch baking pan.
Combine the flour, sugar, and salt in the bowl of a food processor. Pulse a few times to mix. Cut the butter into 1/2-inch cubes, and add to the flour mixture. Process until the butter is evenly distributed but the mixture is still crumbly, 30-60 seconds.
Reserve 1 1/2 cups of the mixture to use as the topping. Press the remaining mixture into the bottom of the pan, and bake 12-15 minutes. Cool for at least 10 minutes.
To make the filling, whisk the eggs in a large bowl, then add the sugar, sour cream, flour, salt, lemon zest, and almond extract. Gently fold in the berries and spoon the mixture over the crust. Sprinkle the remaining flour mixture evenly over the filling, and bake 45 to 55 minutes.
Cool at least 1 hour before cutting into bars, or scoop out of the pan to serve cobbler-style.
Recipe from The Pastry Queen, as seen on Pink Parsley
I am Jen the Beantown Baker. Engineer by day and baking maven by night. Hubby serves as my #1 fan and official taste tester. We got hitched back in 2006. Barefoot. In the sand. With the waves crashing behind us. It was one of the best decisions we’ve ever made. 
these look so fun! i, too, am LI, but i carry lactaid with me everywhere… and jp licks makes a lactose free flavor 🙂
Lactaid is my best friend. I have spare pills in the car, in Hubby’s wallet, in my purse and desk. Can’t ever be too prepared! I have had their lactose free flavors and they’re quite tasty. I wish they had more than one a month though!
Ooooh. This looks too good. I’m gonna have to try that.
I love the idea of using the cone method for ice cream cupcakes. I hadn’t thought of that. That strawberry down the middle of the cupcake is so perfect! I’m so glad you entered again!
I wouldn’t be able to live without ice cream! Your cupcakes are beautiful. Good luck in the competition!!!
They look pretty! Love the photo of the cross section where you can see the strawberry.
~ingrid
Those cupcakes look scrumptious! Oh, and you’ve gotta try Purely Decadent made with Coconut Milk Ice Cream! It’s rich and creamy, a lot like gelatto!
Thanks Vegiegail – I’ll have to check that out.
So cute! These are so pretty with the strawberry in the middle and they look delicious.
voted for your strawberry one..good luck!
gorgeous. love the inset strawberry. love the Neapolitan theme.
bethany@scoopalicious
I agree with you about the non-dairy ice creams available in stores. However, If you have an ice cream maker vegan chick-0-stick ice cream is unbelievably rich, creamy and delicious.
Here is the recipe http://couldntbeparve.blogspot.com/2008/09/chick-o-stick-ice-cream_04.html
Hey, these cupcakes sound awesome! I use to be Lactose Int., but I found the best cure ever & seriously have been L.I. cured for 7 years. I could not give up my dairy & use to take 3 Lactaid every time I ate.I heard about “Lactogen” on the radio on the way home from a trip. I would do anything to get rid of my L.I. so it was $90.00 at the time so I said what the heck I spent $200.00 a year on Lactaid. I was floored that it worked & 7 years later still no signs. I drink milk every morning, cheese everyday, & ice cream when ever. It retrains your body to except lactose, so for 42 days while you take it (a mix to drink with water) you have to stay away from all dairy & anything with dairy in it. I just went to the health food store during that time. I am sure you can find it on the web. Lactogen is the name
This is my second post, it erased my first. But for all you suffering with Lactose Int. try Lactogen it really works I have been cured for going on 7 years now. It was only $90.00 when I tried it & I was spending $200 a year on Lactaid at the time. I now can drink milk every morning, & eat cheese every day & ice cream when ever. It is not an on going thing you take it once for 43 days & that is it.