Rhubarb Berry Crumb Bars

By MJH

Ingredients

• Rhubarb Berry Jam (makes 6 cups):
• 1 cup granulated sugar
• 1 teaspoon baking powder
• 3 cups all purpose flour
• 1 cup (2 sticks) cold butter
• 1 egg
• Pinch of salt
• Zest of one lemon
• 2 cups Rhubarb Berry Jam or another jam of your choice
• 2 pounds rhubarb, trimmed and sliced into 1/2-inch pieces
• 6 cups mixed berries, fresh or frozen
• 1 cup apple juice
• 4-5 cups sugar depending on the sweetness of the berries
• Juice of one lemon
• Pinch of salt

Details

Adapted from stickygooeycreamychewy.com

Preparation

Step 1

Preheat the oven to 375 degrees F.
Butter a 9×13 inch pan.

In a medium bowl, mix together 1 cup sugar, flour, and baking powder.
Add in salt and lemon zest. Use a fork or pastry blender to incorporate the butter and egg.
The dough will be crumbly.
Pat half of the dough evenly into the buttered pan, and set aside the rest.

Spread the jam evenly over the dough in the pan.
Crumble remaining dough over the jam.

Bake for 40-45 minutes, or until top is a light golden brown.
Cool completely before cutting into bars.

Rhubarb Berry Jam:
Mix all of the ingredients together in a large, deep stainless steel or copper pot (not aluminum).
Let macerate for about 10 minutes.
Put a small plate in the freezer to test the jam for doneness later.

Bring fruit mixture to a boil over medium-high heat.
Skim off any foam that forms on top and discard.
Reduce heat and continue to cook at a vigorous simmer, uncovered, until the jam has thickened.
This should take about 30-40 minutes.
Stir frequently to prevent it from burning on the bottom.

After 30 minutes, remove the plate from the freezer and place a small spoonful of the jam on it.
Wait 30 seconds and run your finger through the jam to check its consistency.
If it isn’t thick enough, continue simmering a while longer, then test it again.

When the jam has reached the desired thickness, remove from the heat and ladle into clean, sterilized jars.
Cover and store in the refrigerator if you plan to use the jam within a month.
If not, you can process the jars in a hot water bath for longer preservation.