Blueberry Frangipane Pie Bars

On the way to work the other day, I heard the Cheers theme song on the radio ("sometimes you want to go where everybooody knows your naaaaame...") and was overcome by nostalgia. I didn't watch Cheers as a kid, but I watched the show that was on right before it (Seinfeld, I think), and always left the TV on so I could hear the theme song. Even as a kid, it made me feel nostalgic.

I guess the idea with the Cheers song is that after a tough day, you can go to a bar where everyone knows you. But for me, it always felt like the song was really about going home, or going back to a simpler time. Because, as the song says, "making your way in the world today takes everything you've got".

If the modern world has you feeling a bit beaten down, I have a solution for you. Click the link in the first paragraph and listen to the Cheers song over and over while you make yourself a batch of pie bars. They are just the thing if "your third fiancé didn't show", "your shrink ran off to Europe and didn't even write", or if, like me, you've just had kind of a long week.

Put all that behind you, because it's Friday and we're having pie bars. I've been playing around with almond blueberry pie bars for a while now (you can see a glutinous version here and my first paleo iteration here), but these are by far the best. The crust is a buttery, crunchy shortbread, enhanced with just a hint of almond extract, and the frangipane layer is a nutty custard (spiked with a tiny bit of rum if you're up for it--it is, after all, the freakin' weekend). A layer of wild blueberries and some crust crumbles finish things off.

Guess what came on the radio after the Cheers song? "Thank You for Being a Friend" from Golden Girls. So, let me just finish up by saying that pie bars are also the perfect way to say thank you to a friend.

I listened to the Cheers song at least eight ten times while writing this post. No judgment, right??

Blueberry Frangipane Pie Bars

Yield: About 20 bars

Prep time: 15 minutes

Bake time: 50 minutes

Ingredients:

For the crust and topping:

2 1/4 cups lightly packed almond flour

1/4 cup plus 2 tablespoons tapioca flour

1/4 cup plus 2 tablespoons finely ground raw sugar or coconut sugar*

Pinch of sea salt

1/4 cup plus 2 tablespoons melted butter or ghee

1 teaspoon vanilla extract

1/4 teaspoon almond extract (optional)

For the frangipane (adapted from Alexandra's Kitchen):

1 cup raw almonds
1/4 cup raw sugar or coconut sugar*

1/4 cup butter, at room temperature
1 large egg

1 tablespoon rum (optional)
1/2 teaspoon vanilla extract

1 tablespoon water, plus more as needed

Pinch of sea salt

1 1/2 cups frozen blueberries*

*I used frozen wild blueberries, but regular-sized and/or fresh berries would also work.

Preheat the oven to 325°F and grease an 8x12 or 9x13-inch pan with butter or ghee.

To make the crust, whisk together the flours, sugar, and salt. Add the butter or ghee and extracts and mix well with a fork or your fingers. The dough will be crumbly, but should stick together when squeezed. Set aside 2/3 cup of the dough for topping the bars later. Press the remainder of the dough into the bottom of the greased pan to form a crust.

Bake the crust for about 18 minutes, until light golden brown around the edges. Increase the oven temperature to 350°F.

While the crust is baking, make the frangipane. Put all the ingredients in a food processor and pulse until almost smooth (tiny pieces of almond are fine). Add more water a tablespoon at a time if necessary to facilitate blending.

Spread the frangipane on top of the crust, using a spatula to help it reach all four corners. Sprinkle the frozen blueberries evenly on top of the frangipane, and then sprinkle the reserved dough on top of the blueberries.

Bake bars for about 30 minutes, until light golden brown on top. Cool completely in the pan, and then slice into bars. I sliced mine crosswise into ten strips, and then cut all the strips in half, but you could also cut them into squares if you prefer.

The pie bars will keep, covered at room temperature, for up to 2 days. You could probably refrigerate them and store them for a little longer.

This post contains affiliate links.  If you make a purchase on Amazon after clicking one of my links, I receive a small commission (the price you pay is not affected).  Thank you so much for supporting my blog!