BlackBerry Blueberry Lemon Bars

I've made it clear the berry lemon pairing works wonderfully. If you're interested in some other ways to combine them, you can try this blueberry and lemon curd French toast, blueberry and lemon curd mascarpone tarts, or this mixed berry Dutch baby with a splash of lemon juice and zest. They work together so well despite both being inherently tart. Extra sugar and a creamy factor add to the subtle sweetness of the berries usually do the trick to bring everything together.

This recipe has a lot going on in terms of texture, and you can enjoy it as breakfast, brunch, or dessert with a scoop of ice cream.

This recipe also uses several flour alternatives; I used almond and oat flour for the crust to try to take advantage of the benefits. Due to the way these flours absorb liquid, the crust will be on the softer side, so you might need to add a little bit of extra or flour to thicken it enough for you to be able to press into the bottom of the baking pan - but don't overdo it. I also used millet flour for the crumble and advise the same, but you won’t have to worry as much compared to the crust. You can also just use all-purpose flour in both cases!

Ingredients

Crust:

1/2 cup coconut sugar

2 sticks (plant-based) butter

2 cups almond flour

1/3 cup oat flour (+ a little extra if necessary)

1/2 teaspoon salt

Filling:

1 egg

1 cup blueberries

2 cups blackberries

1/4 cup lemon juice (juice of 1 lemon)

16-ounces Greek yoghurt cheese cream, softened/room temperature

1/2 cup coconut sugar

1/4 cup coconut cream

1 teaspoon vanilla extract

1/4 teaspoon almond extract

Crumbling:

1 cup millet flour

1 teaspoon vanilla

Zest of one lemon

1 stick (plant-based) butter, melted

1/4 cup desiccated coconut

Instructions

Turn your oven to 350F. 

Prepare the crust. In a large bowl, cream the sugar and butter with a hand mixer until fluffy. Add the almond flour, oat flour, and salt, then beat until combined - add a little extra oat flour if necessary sure it is the right consistency. Press the crumbly mixture into an oil-sprayed 9 by 13 baking dish and bake for 25-30 minutes - frequently check after 20 minutes to make sure it doesn't burn; you want it firm enough to gold the filling.

While that is baking, make the filling. In another large bowl, whisk the cream cheese and sugar. Beat in the egg. Whisk in the remaining ingredients and then gently fold in the washed and drained blueberries. 

Prepare the crumble. Whisk those ingredients until they resemble a soft dough. 

Once the crust is cooled, evenly pour and spread the filling, distributing the crumble on top. Bake the bars for 50-60 minutes, making sure the centre is set. You can jiggle the tray and lightly press with your fingers to make sure. 

Allow to cool for 30 minutes, then chill for at least 2 hours to set in the fridge fully. Once chilled, cut into squares, dust with icing sugar and serve.

Note: the butter should be softened but not near melting.