Strawberry and Rhubarb Crumb Bars



Apparently I have been M.I.A for awhile now so I apologize. Summer is official here, flowers are blooming and gargens are growing. Most of my time lately, has been spent outside. Apart from a wet spring, the summer is shaping out to be really nice.

A few weeks ago I was at the grocery store and I saw rhubarb out of the corner of my eye, I immediately put some in  my cart. As I was leaving I saw strawberries, and somehow they ended up in my cart too.

When I came home I headed straight for my large collection of cookbooks(it's becoming a problem - I most likely need an intervention). All I found was Strawberry and Rhubarb Crisp - don't get me wrong, I am a HUGE fan of Strawberry and Rhubarb Crisp but I wanted to make something I hadn't made before. Thus I began searching on my favorite recipe blog sites. I then came across this recipe and I had to make it!

And yes, it is as good as it looks!

Ingredients

For the Streusel

1/2 cup unsalted Butter, melted, plus room-temperature butter for pan
3/4 cup packed Brown sugar
1/4 teaspoon  Salt
1 1/4 cup All-purpose Flour, plus more for pan

For the Bars
1/2 lb  Rhubarb, cut into 1/2″ pieces
1/2 lb  Fresh Strawberries, sliced 1/4″ thick
1 1/2 tablespoon Brown sugar
1 1/3 cup All-purpose flour
3/4 teaspoon Baking Powder
1/2 teaspoon Salt
3/4 cup unsalted Butter, softened
1 1/4 cup Confectioners’ Sugar
2 large Eggs, beaten
3/4 teaspoon PureVanilla extract

Directions
Preheat oven to 350° F. Line a 9″ square baking pan with parchment paper, leaving a 2″ overhang on two sides. Butter and flour parchment and pan, tapping out the excess flour.


Next, the streusel. Whisk together butter, brown sugar, and salt. Add flour and mix it together using your fingers to create large crumbs. Refrigerate until ready to use.

In a medium bowl, combine rhubarb, strawberries, brown sugar, and 1/3 cup of flour. In another bowl, whisk together remaining flour, baking powder, and salt, then set aside.
 

In another bowl, use a mixer to beat butter and confectioners’ sugar until light and fluffy. Add the beaten eggs and vanilla extract. Then stir in flour mix until just incorporated.

Spread batter in prepared pan, top with rhubarb/strawberry mix then top with streusel topping.

Bake 50-55 minutes or until golden and a toothpick comes out clean. Let cool in pan, then remove from pan using the overhanging parchment tabs.

Onced cooled, slice bars and dust with confectioners’ sugar(optional)

Recipe adapted from White on Rice Couple