Almond Blueberry Pie Bars

So, I picked up fresh blueberries at the store today, thinking I’d make the muffins I’ve been wanting.  But then, I saw this post with a recipe for Blackberry Pie Bars on Annie’s Eat’s, one of my favorite blogs.  (The recipe is originally from The Pastry Queen by Rebecca Rather).  I was inspired to try them with blueberries instead, and to give them a nutty twist by adding almonds to the streusel topping and a light almond flavor to the filling.  This makes about 16 small but thick square bars.  They are insanely delicious, and much easier than blueberry pie!  Plus, you don’t even need a fork to eat them.

Ingredients for the crust and topping:

1 1/2 cups flour

3/4 cup sugar

Zest of one lemon (about a teaspoon)

Pinch of salt

12 tablespoons (1 1/2 sticks) unsalted butter, cold

1/2 cup raw sliced almonds

Ingredients for the filling:

2 large eggs

1 cup sugar

scant 1/2 cup buttermilk 

8 tablespoons flour 

Juice of half a lemon

1 teaspoon vanilla

1/2 teaspoon almond extract

12 ounces (2 small containers) fresh blueberries, or a little more (if you want to use frozen, defrost and drain well)

Preheat the oven to 350.  Grease and flour an 8 x 8 or 9 x 9 baking pan.

To make the topping, process the flour, sugar, and lemon zest in a food processor.  Cut the butter into small cubes and add it gradually.  Once it’s crumbly and well-mixed, reserve 3/4 cup of the mixture for the topping.  Press the remainder of the mixture into the pan to form an even crust that covers the bottom of the dish.  Bake the crust for about 15 minutes, until light golden brown.  The crust will be very bubbly while it bakes—don’t worry!  Let cool for about 15 minutes before adding the filling.  

To make the topping, crush the sliced almonds in your hand, add them to the 3/4 cup of reserved mixture, and mix well.

To make the filling, whisk together the eggs, buttermilk, sugar, flour, and extracts until smooth.  Gently stir in the blueberries.

Once the crust has cooled somewhat, pour the filling on top.  Crumble the topping on top of that and bake for about 45 minutes, until the top is starting to brown and the mixture is just set.  Let cool completely on a wire rack, then chill to firm things up before cutting into squares.