Blackberry Pecan Bars
User Reviews
4.6
Blackberry Pecan Bars
Description
Blackberry Pecan Bars start with a crust consisting of flour, chopped pecans, granulated and brown sugar, butter, and a pinch of salt. After pulsing these into a moist crumbly dough, part of it is set aside for the topping while the rest forms the base and is baked until lightly firm. The filling is prepared by blending fresh blackberries, blackberry preserves, cornstarch, and a squeeze of lemon juice, which gives the bars a juicy, slightly tangy burst. The bars are finished with the crumb topping before a final bake. This method delivers a crisp and crumbly base and topping alongside a tender, jammy center. The inclusion of pecans both in the crust and topping adds a rich, nutty counterpoint to the berry sweetness. These bars are suitable for using different fresh berries or nuts if desired, allowing some flexibility in flavor variations.
These bars can be sliced and served as a portable snack or a dessert accompaniment to tea or coffee. They store well and can be enjoyed over several days once cooled. The recipe benefits from using parchment paper for easy removal and neat slicing after baking.
Ingredients
crust
- 1 cup all-purpose flour
- 1 cup pecan chopped, divided
- 1/4 cup granulated sugar
- 1/4 cup light brown sugar packed
- salt a pinch
- 1/2 cup unsalted butter room temperature, cut in pieces
filling
- 8 oz blackberry fresh
- 1/3 cup blackberry preserves
- 2 tsp cornstarch
- lemon juice, fresh, a squeeze of
Instructions
- Set oven to 375F.
- Line a 9x9 baking pan with a sling of parchment paper, edges hanging off the sides for easy removal from the pan later.
- In a food processor, pulse the flour, 1/2 cup of the pecans, sugars and salt a few times to combine. Add the softened butter and pulse until the butter is thoroughly incorporated and the mixture has a large moist crumb texture. Keep pulsing until there is no dry flour left. It will be crumbly.
- Measure out about 1/2 cup of the mixture for the crumb topping and set aside. Crumble the rest into your lined pan. Spread it out and pat down the crust with your fingers. Flour them if necessary to prevent sticking. Try to get it evenly spread across the bottom of the pan. I like to finish the process with an offset spatula to flatten and smooth the surface.
- Bake the crust for 15 minutes.
- Pulse the fresh berries and the preserves along with the cornstarch in the processor briefly to break down the fruit.
- Put the mixture in a small saucepan and heat to a boil, stirring often. Let it cook for just a minute or two until it starts to thicken. Taste and add a teaspoon of lemon juice if needed. Set aside to cool slightly while the crust finishes baking.
- Spread out the fruit evenly over the crust.
- Top with the remaining crumble mixture, and then the remaining 1/2 cup chopped pecans.
- Bake for 20 minutes more.
- Cool in the pan for 15 minutes, then loosen the edges and remove the bars from the pan using the parchment paper sling. Let them cool completely on a rack before slicing into 16 bars.
Notes
- Fresh berries and stone fruits may substitute blackberries for varied flavor.
- Walnuts can be used as an alternative to pecans in crust and topping.
- Mixing fresh fruit with different jams can create unique taste variations.
Nutrition Information
Show DetailsNutrition Facts
Serving: 16servings
Amount Per Serving
Calories 174 kcal
% Daily Value*
| Calories | 174kcal | 9% |
| Carbohydrates | 20g | 7% |
| Protein | 2g | 4% |
| Fat | 10g | 15% |
| Saturated Fat | 4g | 20% |
| Polyunsaturated Fat | 2g | 12% |
| Monounsaturated Fat | 4g | 20% |
| Trans Fat | 0.2g | 10% |
| Cholesterol | 15mg | 5% |
| Sodium | 49mg | 2% |
| Potassium | 68mg | 1% |
| Fiber | 2g | 8% |
| Sugar | 11g | 22% |
| Vitamin A | 211IU | 4% |
| Vitamin C | 4mg | 4% |
| Calcium | 16mg | 2% |
| Iron | 1mg | 6% |
* Percent Daily Values are based on a 2,000 calorie diet.
User Reviews
Overall Rating
4.6
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