House of Bread Berry Bars
Recently, Rene Lynch of the LA Times wrote an article in Daily Dish: 8 blueberry recipes bursting with true blue sweetness. This recipe immediately caught my eye and I had to make it!
It's super duper easy! Mix a butter-based batter together, spread 3/4 in a pan, spread a jar of blueberry jam (or other berry jam) on top and then scoop the rest of the batter on top. How easy is that?!
From the Los Angeles Times SOS Column - House of Bread Berry Bars
Adapted from House of Bread in San Luis Obispo.
3 cups (12.75 ounces) flour
1 1/2 teaspoons baking powder
1/2 teaspoon salt
1 cup (2 sticks) butter, softened
1 3/4 cups sugar
4 eggs, room temperature
1 teaspoon vanilla extract
16 ounces berry jam (I used Trader Joe's Blueberry Jam)
1. Preheat oven to 350 degrees. Line with parchment paper or grease an 11 x 7 inch baking pan. (I didn't have a 11 x 7 pan, and used a 9 x 13 pan. Don't use a smaller pan like a 9 x 9 pan because the cake will be too tall and cook unevenly...just believe me from my first attempt).
2. In a medium bowl, whisk together the flour, baking powder and salt. Set aside.
3. Using a mixer with paddle, cream together the butter and sugar until light and fluffy, 3 to 5 minutes and scrape down the sides of the bowl. Beat in the eggs, one at a time, then the vanilla. Slowly add in the flour mixture and mix until combined, but don't overmix. You can finish off the mixing with a spatula.
4. Spread three-fourths of the batter into the pan. Spoon the jam on top. Spoon the remaining batter over the jam in random dollops so the jam can still be seen.
5. Bake the bars until golden-brown on top and firm to the touch, about 40 minutes, rotating halfway through for even baking. (Mine took 43 minutes and I forgot to rotate the pan.)
6. Cool completely on a wire rack before cutting...although I did sneak a couple pieces warm - still very good.
