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Blueberry Poppy Seed Squares

Source of Recipe

From "Saveur: The New Classics" by Weldon Owen


Recipe Introduction

"The floral character of poppy seeds shines even more when the seeds are ground, as in this ubiquitous dessert."

List of Ingredients

â—¦ 20 tablespoons unsalted butter, softened, plus more for greasing pan
â—¦ 3 cups flour, plus more for pan
â—¦ 1 ½ cups sugar
â—¦ ¾ teaspoon kosher salt
â—¦ ¼ teaspoon vanilla extract
â—¦ 4 cups blueberries
â—¦ 2 tablespoons fresh lemon juice
â—¦ ½ teaspoon ground cinnamon
â—¦ 1 ½ cups ground poppy seeds
â—¦ ½ cup heavy cream



Recipe

Heat oven to 350° F. Butter and flour a 9 by 13-inch metal baking pan; set aside.

Beat 16 tablespoons butter and ½ cup sugar on medium-high speed until pale and fluffy, about 2 minutes. Add 2 ½ cups flour and ½ teaspoon salt and beat until just combined. Press dough into bottom and halfway up sides of prepared pan; chill for 20 minutes. Bake crust until lightly browned, about 12 minutes, then let cool. Meanwhile, stir remaining butter, flour, and salt, ¼ cup sugar, and vanilla in a bowl until coarse crumbles form; set streusel aside.

Heat remaining sugar, 3 cups blueberries, lemon juice, and cinnamon in a 2-quart saucepan over medium-high heat. Cook until berries burst, about 20 minutes.

Remove from heat and stir in remaining 1 cup berries; let cool.

Stir together poppy seeds and cream in a bowl, then spread evenly over cooled crust. Pour blueberry mixture over poppy seeds and sprinkle with streusel mixture. Bake until filling is bubbly and streusel is lightly browned, about 40 minutes. Let cool, cut into squares, and serve.

Makes 2 dozen squares