Raspberry Streusel Bars
Buttery shortbread bars with raspberry preserves, fresh berries and a crisp oat crumble, finished with a thin vanilla icing drizzle. Batch yield: 16 iced bars from one 20 cm square tin. One serving: 1 bar, approximately 57 g after baking and icing. Allow approximately 3 hours 35 minutes from starting to serving. Prep time is all non-oven elapsed time: 30 minutes of active work, 60 minutes of room-temperature cooling, 60 minutes of refrigeration and 15 minutes for the icing to set. Active work includes approximately 20 minutes before baking, 3 minutes assembling the filling between bakes and 7 minutes icing and cutting. Preheating and the melted butter's brief cooling happen during the initial preparation and are not counted again. Cook time is 15 minutes for the base plus 35 minutes for the assembled bars. Cooling may take longer in a warm kitchen. Appliances: Oven; Microwave; Refrigerator. Equipment: 20 cm square metal baking tin; Baking parchment; Digital kitchen scales; Measuring spoons; Microwave-safe mixing bowl; Second mixing bowl; Small icing bowl; Spatula; Spoons; Wire cooling rack; Cutting board; Sharp knife. Allergens: Contains milk from butter and the icing, and wheat flour. Oats may also contain gluten through processing. Check packaged ingredient labels for additional allergens. Nutrition is estimated per one of 16 equally sized iced bars. Storage: Once the icing has set, keep the bars in an airtight container at cool room temperature for up to 1 day, or refrigerate for up to 5 days. Separate stacked layers with baking parchment. Freeze for up to 2 months in a sealed container; thaw overnight in the refrigerator. The crumble will soften slightly during storage.
165 min
Prep
50 min
Cook
16
Serves
208
Calories
Macros · per serving
2g protein
30g carbs
9g fat
Ingredients
For 16 servings
- 113 g Unsalted butter, for the shortbread
- 50 g Granulated sugar
- 7.5 ml Vanilla extract
- 1.5 g Fine salt
- 156 g Plain all-purpose flour
- 240 g Raspberry preserves
- 64 g Fresh raspberries
- 43 g Rolled oats
- 70 g Light brown sugar
- 0.7 g Ground cinnamon
- 56 g Unsalted butter, cold and cubed, for the crumble
- 60 g Icing sugar
- 12 ml Whole milk
Instructions
- 1
Heat the oven to 180°C/355°F conventional or 160°C fan. Line a 20 cm square metal baking tin, approximately 8 inches square, with baking parchment extending up the sides so the finished slab can be lifted out. No greasing is needed.
- 2
Put the 113 g butter for the shortbread in a microwave-safe mixing bowl. Microwave in 20-second bursts, stirring between bursts, until just melted, about 45–60 seconds altogether. Let it cool for about 5 minutes while preparing the crumble.
- 3
In a second bowl, mix the oats, brown sugar, cinnamon and 31 g of the flour. Add the 56 g cold cubed butter and rub it into the mixture with your fingertips until you have uneven, pea-sized crumbs with some finer sandy pieces. Set aside away from the warm oven.
- 4
Stir the granulated sugar, 5 ml vanilla extract and salt into the melted butter. Add the remaining 125 g flour and stir with a spatula until a soft dough forms with no dry flour remaining. Press evenly across the lined tin, reaching into the corners.
- 5
Bake the shortbread for 15 minutes, until the surface looks set and the edges are just beginning to turn pale gold. Keep the oven on.
- 6
Spread the raspberry preserves evenly over the hot shortbread, taking care around the hot tin. Tear the raspberries into halves and distribute them over the preserves. Scatter all the oat crumble evenly over the fruit and press it down very lightly.
- 7
Return the tin to the oven for 35 minutes. The crumble should be golden, the edges lightly browned and the raspberry filling bubbling in several places, including near the centre. This is one tin baked in two stages, for 50 minutes of oven time altogether.
- 8
Put the tin on a wire rack and cool at room temperature for 60 minutes, until the tin is no longer warm. Refrigerate the slab in its tin for 60 minutes to firm the shortbread and filling. If it is still warm after the room-temperature cooling period, allow extra cooling time before refrigerating.
- 9
Lift the chilled slab onto a cutting board using the parchment. In a small bowl, stir the icing sugar, milk and remaining 2.5 ml vanilla extract into a smooth, thin icing. Drizzle all of it in fine lines across the crumble.
- 10
Leave the icing to set for 15 minutes at room temperature. Cut the slab into a 4-by-4 grid to make 16 bars, wiping the knife between cuts. Each bar is approximately 5 cm square and weighs about 57 g after baking and icing.
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