Raspberry Crumb Bars

I hope you all enjoyed the long Independence Day weekend.  A few work and personal commitments kept us in the city on the 4th and we didn't head out to our Long Island house until after the fireworks.  No matter though, because we still held our annual cook out over the long weekend and nobody seemed to mind that it was a couple of days late.  We also wanted to head out to Montauk and I'll fill you in on our time out there next weekend in an installment of Life in the Big City.  But today, let's talk about one of the easiest baked desserts I've ever made.

Since we were busy and running late, I really wanted to serve something quick and easy and this recipe came together fast.  A super simple dough and a jar of fruit jelly was all it took to create these delectable treats.  I used raspberry but any fruit flavor would work.  And, with a scoop of vanilla ice cream on top, they were the perfect summer dessert.  Enjoy!








Ingredients
2 Sticks unsalted butter, at room temperature
3/4 Cup sugar
1 Teaspoon vanilla
2 1/3 Cups all purpose flour
1 Teaspoon salt
1 Jar (10 - 12 oz.) fruit preserves (your choice of flavor)

Add the butter, sugar, salt and vanilla to a large bowl and beat together until creamed.  Slowly add in the flour and mix until thoroughly combined and the batter almost turns into a ball.  Turn it out onto a floured surface.

Line a 9" square baking pan with parchment paper or aluminum foil to make it easier to remove the bars after they're baked.  Pat about 2/3 of the dough into the bottom of the pan until you have an even layer.  Spread the jam on top but try to leave at least a 1/4" border around the sides.  Crumble the remaining dough in your hands and drop it on top of the jelly.  Bake in a pre-heated 350 degree oven for approximately 45 minutes or until the top is a light golden brown.  Allow to cool before cutting into bars.  The number of servings depends on how many squares you cut but I chose to make 16 smaller pieces.