Cranberry Crumble Bars

  

If you are like me, you always have jars (tins) of cranberry sauce in the cupboard, and probably extra, especially this time of year.  I always add a layer of cranberry sauce to my chicken and turkey sandwiches, and I have been known to use a dollop or two in gravies and sauces.  

 

It is a store cupboard ingredient which always comes in handy throughout the year and something I always have.

 

I have a favourite breakfast cake that I like to make with it. It makes a fabulous weekend breakfast, especially this time of the year or for when you have overnight guests.

 

You can find that recipe here. Cranberry Swirl Breakfast Cake.

Another thing I like to make with it, are these fabulous teatime treats . . .  Cranberry Crumble Bars.  Oh my, but you are to love these. 

They are one of my favourite things to bake and to eat!

 

Not only are they easy to make, but they are excellent additions to the holiday cookie trays! 

 

They also make great hostess gifts!

 

I have never had anyone turn a cake tin full of these down. Never, ever.

Everyone always loves them!

  

With their buttery short bread cookie crust  . . .  and that buttery crumble topping with that sweet-tart cranberry sauce sandwiched in the middle they are sure to become firm favourites in your holiday baking repertoire!

 

I can almost guarantee it!

 

The short bread crust is simply created by rubbing some sugar, flour and butter together until crumbly, and then you press it into the pan.

 

Very simple to do.

 

This gets baked until it is just golden around the edges. You then spread the cranberry sauce on top and crumble on that buttery crumble topping, before popping it  back into the oven for a further baking  . . .

  

The hardest part of these is waiting until they are sufficiently cooled to remove them from the pan. I like to line the pan with some baking parchment.

I always leave a bit of an overhang so that I can just lift them out.

 

They really crisp up once cooled, which makes them very easy to cut into squares. You get much neater looking squares if you cut them out of the pan, rather than in the pan. 

Hence, the lifting sling of parchment paper. It makes sense.

  

The only decoration you need is a light dusting of icing sugar drifting across the tops!  Just like a sweet snowfall.

Yield: 12Author: Marie Rayner

Cranberry Crumble Bars

prep time: 20 minscook time: 45 minstotal time: 65 mins

Something delicious to make for your family from the excess cranberry sauce we all find in our cupboards over the holiday season! Triple layer bars with a shortbread base, cranberry filling and crumble topping.

ingredients:

For the base:

280g plain flour (2 cups)

95g granulated sugar (1/2 cup)

1/2 tsp salt

240g butter, chilled (1 c

For the filling:

2 (250g) jars whole berry cranberry sauce (2 14-oz cans)

For the crumble topping:

95g granulate sugar (1/2 cup)

100g soft light brown sugar (1/2 cup, packed)

350g plain flour (2 1/2 cups)

1/2 tsp salt

180g butter melted (3/4 cup)

You will also need icing sugar to dust the tops

instructions:

To make the topping, measure both sugars in a bowl along with the
flour and salt.  Whisk together. Pour the butter over and mix it all
together with a spoon, until everything is mixed and you have large
clumps that are holding together.

Preheat
the oven to 180*C/350*F/ gas mark 4.  Line a 9 by 13 inch baking pan
with baking paper and butter the paper. (Make sure you leave some
overhang on the paper for lifting the bars out of the pan when baked.)
Set aside.

Whisk together the flour, sugar and
salt in a bowl.  Grate in the chilled butter. Using your fingers, rub
the butter into the flour mixture until the mixture resembles cornmeal.
 The mixture should hold together when you squeeze it.  Dump into the
prepared pan and press it into an even layer. Bake in the pre-heated
oven until just set, 15 to 20 minutes.

Run a
fork through the cranberry sauce to loosen it.  Spread it evenly over
the partially baked base. Crumble the topping over top.  (You may not
need it all.)

Bake in the pre-heated oven
for 40 to 45 minutes, until golden brown and cooked through.  Allow to
cool completely in the pan.  Lift out, dust with icing sugar and cut
into bars to serve. You can store these in an airtight container for up
to a week.

Created using The Recipes Generator

 

The recipe can also be very easily cut in half to make a smaller quantity which is what I have done here today.  I baked them in an 8 inch square tin, which worked fine, with all of the baking times remaining the same.  I really hope you will give these a go.  

 

I am positive you will fall in love with them, not only for the ease of baking, but also for the deliciousness of them. If short, buttery,crumbly sweet/tart bars are your thing, well . . .  you are in for a real treat!  

 

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