Fruit Squares

I found this recipe in a Eating Well magazine and it seemed like a really good Spring dessert. With Easter coming up, I decided to try making these. The recipe had 3 different variations for these bars: Blueberry bars, Strawberry-Rhubarb bars & Raspberry bars. My plan was to make a double batch in the same pan, not realizing that the flavors would blend together to make a marble effect. It turned out okay in the end though. I had originally wanted to make raspberry and strawberry-rhubarb but it's not the season for rhubarb and Whole foods didn't have any fresh or frozen rhubarb so I went with blueberry instead.

I made this dessert the night before Easter at like 1 am because I had bowling leagues that night and I went out with some friends after. It was either make it when I got home and sleep in in the morning or wake up early to make it..I opted for the sleeping in part! I didn't realize what a process it was to make! But it was definitely worth it in the end! I had a lot of leftovers so I should have just made the one batch but it worked out okay. Some of my family said it was too tart while others seemed to like the tartness of it just fine.

I'm posting the single batch so if you decide to make a double batch like I did, just double the measurements!

Fruit Squares (9 squares) (Eating Well):

*Crust

1 c white whole-wheat flour
1/3 c powdered sugar
3 tbsp cornstarch
1/4 tsp salt
3 tbsp canola oil
2 tbsp butter

3 c blueberries or 2 c chopped strawberries with 2 c chopped rhubarb or 3 c raspberries
1/3 c water
2 tbsp lemon or lime juice
1/3 c sugar

3 tbsp cornstarch
1/8 tsp salt
2 large eggs

Garnishes: Sliced raspberries, blueberries, strawberries, powdered sugar

Preheat oven to 350. Line an 8-in square baking sheet with foil and coat it with cooking spray. Combine flour, powdered sugar, cornstarch and salt in med bowl. Add oil and butter; using your fingertips, blend into flour mixture until evenly combined. The mixture will be a little crumbly. Firmly press dough into prepared pan. Bake until just barely beginning to brown, 15-20 min.

While crust is cooking, combine fruit of your choice and water in med saucepan. Cook over high, stirring, until fruit is mostly broken down, 4-6 min. Pour through a fine-mesh sieve and press on solids to extract all the juice; discard solids. You need 1 c strained juice; remove any extract or add a little water if you are short. Stir in lemon or lime juice into strained fruit juice.

Whisk sugar, cornstarch and salt in med bowl until well combined. Whisk in eggs. Stir into the juice mixture. Pour filling over crust.

Bake until just set, 15-20 min. The center should still be a little jiggly-it will firm up as it cools. Let cool to room temp on a wire rack about 1 1/2 hours. Using foil, gently lift bars out of pan. Cut into 9 squares. Garnish with fresh fruit and dust with powdered sugar just before serving.




Blueberry & Raspberry filling...






The flavors blending...






Fresh from the oven...






All decorated...






Enjoy!...