Blueberry and Lavender Pie Bars Recipe

Servings: 12
Prep time: 15 minutes
Total time: 1 hour 15 minutes

for the crust:
1 cup|188 grams granulated sugar
1 tablespoon dried lavender
1 teaspoon kosher salt
1 cup|235 grams (2 sticks) unsalted butter, at room temperature
3 cups|435 grams all-purpose flour

for the filling:
¼ cup|45 grams granulated sugar
3 tablespoons cornstarch
½ teaspoon kosher salt
1 lemon, zested finely
¼ cup|88 grams blueberry jam or preserves (not jelly)
2 tablespoons fresh lemon juice
½ teaspoon vanilla extract
4 cups|800 grams (about 1 pound 6 ounces|624 grams) fresh blueberries
confectioners’ sugar, for dusting

1. Make the crust: Heat the oven to 350°F. Spray the bottom and sides of a 9-by-13-inch metal baking pan with nonstick cooking spray. Line the bottom and two long sides with a sheet of parchment paper, leaving 1 inch of overhang on each side; spray the paper, too.
2. In a food processor, process the sugar, lavender, and salt together until the lavender is finely ground, about 20 seconds. Add the butter to the lavender sugar and process until completely incorporated and smooth, about 1 minute. Add the flour and pulse until the shortbread dough just comes together, 15 to 20 pulses.
3. Transfer the dough to the prepared pan and use your fingers to press evenly into the bottom. Place the pan in the oven and bake until light brown at the edges, 18 to 20 minutes. Transfer the pan to a rack to cool but leave the oven on.
4. In a large bowl, whisk together the sugar, cornstarch, salt, and lemon zest, then pour in the jam, lemon juice, and vanilla, and stir until smooth. Add the blueberries, then use a fork or potato masher to crush and pop open the blueberries (some will stay relatively whole and that’s okay). Stir until evenly combined in the jam mixture. Scrape the berry filling onto the still-warm crust and smooth the top. Return the pan to the oven and bake until the filling is bubbling in the center and the crust is cooked through, about 30 minutes.
5. Transfer the pan to a rack and let cool completely to room temperature. Use the overhanging parchment paper as a sling to lift the bars out of the pan and onto a cutting board. Cut into 12 squares then dust the tops with a generous coating of powdered sugar before serving.

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