Strawberry Crumble Bars with Lemon Icing
These Strawberry Crumble Bars are soft, flavorful, and topped with a delicious tart-sweet lemon icing. They’re perfect for a summer treat, and the roasted strawberries add an extra depth of flavor!
Ingredients:
For the Strawberry Filling:
2 cups fresh strawberries (hulled and halved if small or quartered if large)
3 tablespoons granulated sugar
1 teaspoon vanilla extract
2 tablespoons lemon juice
Zest of 1 lemon (add after roasting)
1 tablespoon cornstarch (add after roasting)
For the Crumble:
1 ½ cups all-purpose flour
¼ teaspoon baking powder
¼ teaspoon salt
7 tablespoons cold unsalted butter (cubed)
½ cup brown sugar (light or dark)
1 large egg (room temperature)
½ teaspoon vanilla extract
For the Lemon Icing:
1 tablespoon lemon juice
½ cup powdered sugar (sifted)
For Decoration:
1 cup fresh strawberries (halved)
Instructions:
1. Make the Strawberry Filling:
Preheat the oven to 350°F (175°C).
Roast the strawberries: Toss the hulled strawberries with 3 tablespoons of sugar and lemon juice on a baking sheet lined with parchment paper. Roast for 17 minutes, stirring halfway through.
Transfer the roasted strawberries into a bowl with their liquid. Stir in the vanilla extract, lemon zest, and cornstarch. Lightly mash or chop the berries, then set aside to cool.
Skipping roasting: Alternatively, mix fresh strawberries with sugar, lemon zest, vanilla, and cornstarch if you want to skip the roasting step.
2. Prepare the Crumble Base:
Line the bottom of an 8-inch round pan with parchment paper and set aside.
In a large bowl, whisk together the brown sugar, egg, and vanilla extract.
In another medium-sized bowl, whisk together the flour, baking powder, and salt.
Using a pastry cutter or food processor, cut the cold butter into the flour mixture until you get pea-sized crumbs.
Combine the flour mixture with the sugar and egg mixture, mixing until just combined.
3. Assemble the Bars:
Press 2/3 of the crumble mixture into the bottom of the prepared baking pan, making sure it is compact.
Spread the strawberry filling evenly over the base.
Scatter the remaining 1/3 of the crumble mixture over the strawberries by breaking it into small clumps. Add sliced strawberries on top for extra decoration.
4. Bake:
Bake at 350°F for 25-35 minutes, or until the crust is lightly golden.
Remove the pan from the oven and let it cool completely on a wire rack.
5. Make the Lemon Icing:
Once the bars have cooled, stir together the lemon juice and sifted powdered sugar to create the icing.
Drizzle the lemon icing over the entire crumble or over individual slices as desired.
Serving & Storing:
These bars are best enjoyed once they’ve cooled and the flavors have melded.
Store leftovers in an airtight container in the fridge for up to 3 days.
