GLUTEN FREE BLUEBERRY BARS

Posted by Bryna Bear aka Gluten Free Baking Bear

     It is blueberry season.  I love fresh blueberries, but I also love cooked ones in desserts.  I decided to create this recipe for Blueberry Bars based on my recipe for Lemon Bars and my recipe for Strawberry Filling.  The Blueberry Bar crust is crisp like a shortbread cookie.  Somehow using the same recipe the Lemon Bar crust is soft and cake-like.  Maybe the lemon filling has more liquid that soaks into the crust while it bakes making it soft.  Either way the crust is delicious!

     I made 16 squares but you can make the pieces larger and get 8 portions if you like.  I did not have leftovers to experiment with freezing the bars so I can’t advise you about how well they freeze for longer storage.  I imagine they would thaw out well. 

     I found the bars to be refreshing and irresistible.  I don’t want to confess to how many I ate all by  myself.  I know I mentioned irresistible, but I must add delightful and eyes rolling into the back of your head good. They were a big hit with my family too.      

GLUTEN FREE BLUEBERRY BARS

Makes about 16 square bars

from and 8x8 sized pan

INGREDIENTS

CRUST

½ cup	Sorghum Flour
¼ tsp.	Tapioca Flour
2 Tbs.	Coconut Flour
2 Tbs.	Chickpea Flour
½ tsp.	Xanthan Gum
¼ cup	Sugar
¼ tsp.	Sea Salt
½ tsp.	Vanilla Extract
1 stick/4 oz./8 Tbs.	Butter - melted

 FILLING

2 cups	Fresh Blueberries
¼ cup	Fresh Blueberries
¼ cup	Sugar - adjust to taste
1 Tbs.	Corn Starch
¼ cup	Water

DIRECTIONS

1)    Preheat oven to 350℉. Prepare an 8 x 8 square pan by lining it with parchment paper.  Set aside.

2)    First make the Crust. 

3)    In a medium bowl mix together the flours, sugar, salt & xanthan gum.

4)    Add the vanilla & melted butter and combine well.

5)    Press the dough evenly into the bottom of the prepared pan.

Raw dough pressed into the bottom of an 8x8 pan.

6)    Bake for 25 minutes and then remove from the oven.

Crust baked for 25 minutes.

7)    While the crust is baking prepare the Filling.

8)    In a saucepan add all of the filling ingredients except for ¼ cup of blueberries.  Mix together.

9)    Heat the filling over medium heat, stirring frequently, until the sauce bubbles and then becomes clear.  The cornstarch will be cloudy until it cooks and then becomes unclouded or clear when done.

10)Remove the pan from the heat and mix in the ¼ cup of reserved blueberries.

Blueberries cooked until the liquids no longer coudy
 and then the reserved ¼ cup of blueberries is mixed in.

11)When the crust is done baking take it out of the oven and lower the oven to 300℉.

12)Pour the filling into the baked crust.

Unbaked filling on the baked crust.

13)Bake the filled crust in the 300℉ oven for 25 minutes.

Blueberry Bars after baking with the filling added.

14)Remove to a rack to cool.

15)Cool completely before cutting into bars.  You can hasten the cooling process by putting the pan in the fridge.

16)Store leftovers in the fridge.