Blueberry Lemon Poppy Seed Crumble Bars

Name: Blueberry Lemon Poppy Seed Crumble Bars
Prep time: 20 min
Cook time: 45 min
Yield: 16

Desserts

Tender buttery bars bursting with fresh blueberries and bright lemon flavor, topped with a crunchy poppy seed crumble for the perfect summer dessert.

Units:

Metric Imperial

Servings:

Prep: 20 Cook: 45

Preheat oven to 180°C (350°F). Line a 20cm (8-inch) square baking pan with parchment paper.
For the base, combine 200g1⅔ cups plain flour for base, 60g⅓ cup packed brown sugar, and ¼ tsp¼ tsp salt in a bowl. Cut in 115g½ cup butter until mixture resembles coarse crumbs.
Press mixture firmly into the prepared pan. Bake for 15 minutes until lightly golden.
Meanwhile, gently toss 300g2 cups fresh blueberries with 2 tbsp2 tbsp fresh lemon zest, 3 tbsp3 tbsp fresh lemon juice, 75g⅓ cup caster sugar, and 2 tbsp2 tbsp cornstarch until evenly coated.
For the crumble topping, combine 80g⅔ cup plain flour for crumble, 60g½ cup rolled oats, 80g⅓ cup packed brown sugar, and 2 tbsp2 tbsp poppy seeds. Cut in 60g¼ cup butter until mixture forms clumps.
Stir 1 tsp1 tsp vanilla extract and ¼ tsp¼ tsp almond extract (optional) into the crumble mixture.
Spread blueberry mixture evenly over the pre-baked base. Sprinkle crumble topping over the blueberries.
Bake for 30-35 minutes until topping is golden brown and filling is bubbling around the edges.
Cool completely in the pan before cutting into squares, about 2 hours.

Ingredients

id: plain_flour_base metric: 200g imperial: 1⅔ cups name: plain flour for base
id: butter_base metric: 115g imperial: ½ cup name: butter, cold and cubed
id: brown_sugar_base metric: 60g imperial: ⅓ cup name: packed brown sugar
id: salt_base metric: ¼ tsp imperial: ¼ tsp name: salt
id: fresh_blueberries metric: 300g imperial: 2 cups name: fresh blueberries
id: lemon_zest metric: 2 tbsp imperial: 2 tbsp name: fresh lemon zest
id: lemon_juice metric: 3 tbsp imperial: 3 tbsp name: fresh lemon juice
id: caster_sugar_filling metric: 75g imperial: ⅓ cup name: caster sugar
id: cornstarch metric: 2 tbsp imperial: 2 tbsp name: cornstarch
id: plain_flour_crumble metric: 80g imperial: ⅔ cup name: plain flour for crumble
id: rolled_oats metric: 60g imperial: ½ cup name: rolled oats
id: brown_sugar_crumble metric: 80g imperial: ⅓ cup name: packed brown sugar
id: poppy_seeds metric: 2 tbsp imperial: 2 tbsp name: poppy seeds
id: butter_crumble metric: 60g imperial: ¼ cup name: butter, cold and cubed
id: vanilla_extract metric: 1 tsp imperial: 1 tsp name: vanilla extract
id: almond_extract metric: ¼ tsp imperial: ¼ tsp name: almond extract (optional)

Preheat oven to 180°C (350°F). Line a 20cm (8-inch) square baking pan with parchment paper.
For the base, combine {plain_flour_base}, {brown_sugar_base}, and {salt_base} in a bowl. Cut in {butter_base} until mixture resembles coarse crumbs.
Press mixture firmly into the prepared pan. Bake for 15 minutes until lightly golden.
Meanwhile, gently toss {fresh_blueberries} with {lemon_zest}, {lemon_juice}, {caster_sugar_filling}, and {cornstarch} until evenly coated.
For the crumble topping, combine {plain_flour_crumble}, {rolled_oats}, {brown_sugar_crumble}, and {poppy_seeds}. Cut in {butter_crumble} until mixture forms clumps.
Stir {vanilla_extract} and {almond_extract} into the crumble mixture.
Spread blueberry mixture evenly over the pre-baked base. Sprinkle crumble topping over the blueberries.
Bake for 30-35 minutes until topping is golden brown and filling is bubbling around the edges.
Cool completely in the pan before cutting into squares, about 2 hours.

Berry Preparation: If using frozen blueberries, don't thaw them first - this prevents excessive bleeding and maintains texture.

Perfect Crumble: Keep butter cold and work quickly to achieve the best crumbly texture. The mixture should hold together when squeezed.

Clean Cutting: For neat squares, use a sharp knife and wipe it clean between cuts. Chilling the bars for 30 minutes before cutting helps.

Lemon Zest Technique: Use a microplane for fine zest, avoiding the bitter white pith underneath.