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Raspberry Streusel Bars

Source of Recipe

From "Cook's Illustrated Revolutionary Recipes"


Recipe Introduction

"Frozen raspberries can be substituted for fresh, but be sure to defrost them before using. Quick oats will work, but the bars will be less chewy and flavorful; do not use instant oats."

List of Ingredients

â—¦ 2 ½ cups all-purpose flour
â—¦ â…” cup granulated sugar
â—¦ ½ teaspoon salt
â—¦ 18 tablespoons (2 ¼ sticks) unsalted butter, cut into 18 pieces and softened
â—¦ ½ cup old-fashioned rolled oats
â—¦ ½ cup pecans, toasted and chopped fine
â—¦ ¼ cup packed light brown sugar
â—¦ ¾ cup raspberry jam
â—¦ 3 ¾ ounces (¾ cup) fresh raspberries
â—¦ 1 tablespoon lemon juice


Recipe

Adjust oven rack to middle position and heat oven to 375 degrees. Make foil sling for 13 by 9-inch baking pan by folding two long sheets of aluminum foil; first sheet should be 13 inches wide and second sheet should be 9 inches wide. Lay sheets of foil in pan perpendicular to each other, with extra foil hanging over edges of pan. Push foil into corners and up sides of pan, smoothing foil flush to pan. Grease foil.

Whisk flour, granulated sugar, and salt together in bowl of stand mixer. Fit mixer with paddle and beat in 16 tablespoons butter, one piece at a time, on medium-low speed until mixture resembles damp sand, 1 to 1 ½ minutes. Set aside 1 ¼ cups mixture in bowl for topping.

Sprinkle remaining flour mixture into prepared pan and press firmly into even layer. Bake until edges of crust begin to brown, 14 to 18 minutes, rotating pan halfway through baking. (Crust must still be hot when filling is added.)

Meanwhile, stir oats, pecans, and brown sugar into reserved topping mixture. Add remaining 2 tablespoons butter and pinch mixture between your fingers into clumps of streusel. Using fork, mash jam, raspberries, and lemon juice in small bowl until few berry pieces remain.

Spread berry mixture evenly over hot crust, then sprinkle with streusel. Bake until filling is bubbling and topping is deep golden brown, 22 to 25 minutes, rotating pan halfway through baking. Let bars cool completely in pan on wire rack, about 2 hours. Using foil overhang, remove bars from pan. Cut into 24 bars before serving. (Uncut bars can be frozen for up to 1 month; let wrapped bars thaw at room temperature for 4 hours before serving.)

Makes 24 bars