Blackberry Pie Bars . . .

Today is the Toddster's Birthday.   He requested a fruitcake for his birthday.   That is his favourite of all cakes.  He's just an old fashioned guy with old fashioned tastes.   No chocolate  fudge cakes for him . . . no Victoria sponges  . . .  no raspberry celebration cakes.  Just a plain old fruit cake and he's a happy camper.



This is the second dessert I made the other day when I had the Sister Missionaries over and let me tell you . . .  I got plenty of oohs and ahhs over these too.   Blackberry Pie Squares.  Scrumdiddlyumptious!



Picture this . . .   a buttery shortbread cookie type of base . . .  topped with fresh blackberries . . .  topped with a rich sour cream filling . . .  and a final topping of the shortbread mixture, crumbled this time . . .



baked until the whole thing melds together in a fabulously moreish bake . . .  crisp on the bottom, rich and fruity in the centre, short and crumbly on top . . .

 

I'll just have a smidgen you tell yourself . . .  just a tiny little square . . .  and then . . .



You cut yourself another little square  . . .  and then just a tiny sliver . . .  and then you sneak down the stairs at two in the morning and you cut yourself a tiny bit more . . .  because . . .

YOU JUST CAN'T LEAVE IT ALONE!  It's that good.  Yessum!  And you are asking yourself . . .  who ate all that cake?

 

*Blackberry Pie Bars*

Makes 16  (2-inch square) bars

Printable Recipe 

Delicious bars with a buttery crumb base and topping, stogged full of beautiful black berries and a sour cream filling.  The topping is lightly spiced with cardamom and cinnamon. 

For the base and crumb topping:

210g of plain flour (1 1/2 cups)

165g of sugar (3/4 cup)

1/8 tsp salt

6 ounces of unsalted butter, very cold, cut into cubes (3/4 cup)

you will also need 1/2 tsp ground cinnamon and 1/4 tsp ground cardamom 

For the filling:

2 large free range eggs

225g of sugar (1 cup)

60g of dairy sour cream (1/2 cup)

35g plus 2 TBS plain flour (1/4 cup plus 2 TBS)
pinch salt

1 (150g) punnets of blackberries (16 ounces or 1 pound) 

 

Preheat the oven to 180*C/350*F/ gas mark .   Line an 8 inch square baking pan with some baking paper, leaving an overhang.  Spray the baking paper with non-stick spray.


Put the flour, sugar,  and salt for the base into a food processor.  Blitz for about 30 seconds to combine ingredients.   Add the cubed butter an pulse until you have a crumbly mixture with bits the size of small peas.   Remove 115g (3/4 cup) of it and set it aside for later.   Pour the rest into the prepared baking dish and press into the pan firmly.   Bake for 12 to 15 minutes or until the edges just begin to turn brown.   Cool completely.

Whisk together the eggs, sugar, sour cream, flour and salt for the filling until well blended.  Stir the cardamom and cinnamon into the reserved crumb mixture.   Spread the berries into a single layer over the cooled crust.   Spoon the sour cream mixture evenly over top.  Sprinkle over the reserved spiced crumb mixture to cover evenly.   Bake in the heated oven for 45 to 55 minutes, or until the filling is just beginning to turn golden and is set.   Cool completely on a wire rack and then chill prior to serving.

Serve with or without lashings of cream or clotted cream!