April 05, 2011
Must-Have Kitchen Gadget
One of my favorite kitchen utensils is my microplane zester. Without this little tool, I would miss out on so many of my favorites! If you haven't stashed one in your utensil drawer yet, do yourself a favor and pick one up. The stainless steel blade will last you forever. It's long and lean and very easy to handle, perfect for quick zesting of any yummy citrus rinds.. which, of course, are the best ingredients in my beloved orange scones, lemon bundt cake, and lime cheesecake. Mmm! It also comes in handy for grating veggies, chocolate, fresh ginger, garlic, or cheese, too! Just makes sure you slide the cover back on before you toss it back in the drawer.. it really is a sharp little gadget!
The recipe that I'm sharing today is my non-chocolate dessert of choice... a super delicious re-fashioning of an old-fashioned dessert. Not normally a fruit pie kind of girl, I was shocked when I tasted these incredible pie "bars". You have to try them! Cut them into petite, perfect squares and they'll be perfect for spring celebrations.. bridal showers.. tea parties.. a rainy day.. and all summer long! Feel free to experiment with your favorite in-season berries. And, the best part: use the zester to create a delicious lemon sugar, which elevates the pie crust to a whole new level.
Blueberry Cobbler Bars
adapted from joy the baker and found through my sister-in-law's yummy blog
- 3 cups all-purpose flour
- 1 cup sugar
- 1/4 teaspoon salt
- 1 1/2 cups (3 sticks) chilled butter, cut into cubes
- zest of two lemons
- 4 large eggs
- 1 cup sugar
- 1 cup sour cream
- juice and zest of 1 large lemon
- 3/4 cup all-purpose flour
- pinch of salt
- 6 cups fresh blueberries, or 2 (16 ounce) packages frozen berries
Berry Filling
Instructions
Preheat oven to 350°. Grease a large jelly roll pan (12x17) and set aside, or use a 9x13 pan if you prefer thicker bars. Make the crust/topping: Zest two lemons and set aside. measure out 1 1/2 cups sugar onto a clean work surface and rub the zest into the sugar with the back of a spoon. Combine the lemon sugar, flour, salt, and butter in a mixer and beat on medium speed until it looks dry and crumbly. Reserve 1/2 cups of this crust mixture to use as the topping. Press remaining mixture into the bottom of prepared pan. Bake crust for 12 to 15 minutes, until golden brown. Let cool for 10 minutes, while you make the filling.
For filling: Whisk the eggs in a large bowl. Add sugar, sour cream, lemon juice, flour, and salt. Gently fold in berries. Spoon the mixture evenly over the crust. You may have to distribute the berries evenly around. Sprinkle reserved crust mixture evenly over the filling as topping. Bake for 45 to 55 minutes, or until top is lightly browned.
Serve warm, a la mode. Or, refrigerate for later, as they taste incredible cold!
