Raspberry Crumble Bars

These raspberry crumble bars have a buttery shortbread base, are filled with sweet, tart and fresh raspberry jam and topped with a crisp crumble topping.

My aunt used to make these and send them over a couple times a year and I would devour the whole box. Once I realised how easy they are to make, they became a year round staple, let me show you how to make them.

How to make the shortbread crumble?

Now, there are two ways to make this either using your hands or in a food processor, both work well. It’s just about what you prefer.

Essentially we are making a dry shortbread so, all you’re going to do is blend the dry ingredients with the butter and vanilla until you get a wet sand kind of texture. It should compact and come together when you press it in your hand and crumble apart just as easily.

Ingredient Notes

Butter – is the main ingredient in the shortbread and gives that crumbly, soft texture we’ve going for

Light Brown Sugar – will give a richer flavour and more tender crumb to the bars

Caster Sugar – simply here to add sweetness and will also help add a slight crispness to the bars

Vanilla Paste – the taste of vanilla really lifts these simple crumble bars, I love using vanilla paste but extract would also work

Salt – will balance out the sweetness of the sugars and jam

Plain Flour – is perfect for getting that classic shortbread crumb

Raspberry Jam – is sweet and tart and works so well with shortbread, and, since we are using a jam these can be made year round

What kind of Jam should I use?

I love using bonne maman Raspberry conserve but, any jam will work, you could also use homemade jam for an even better bar. I’ve also used strawberry jam and it comes out great, if you prefer a sweeter taste.

These bars get better and better…

It’s true they are actually better the next day as the jam has time to set and release some raspberry juice into the shortbread to make the bars more tender. They keep amazingly well in any airtight container or biscuit tin.

Tips and Tricks

• I use a 9×9 inch baking tray but, if you prefer a thinner crumb bar you can use a larger baking pan

• Make sure to leave about a quarter of an inch or one fingers worth of space when spreading the jam, this will insure that nothing sticks to the pan

• Using cold butter will give you a crumblier base and make to easier to make the crumble dough
• If you prefer a sweeter taste, strawberry jam works really well in this recipe.

• These keep well for about a week, if, they last that long that is.To make sure they stay moist in the middle place into an airtight container

• Finally, you can see a full recipe see a full recipe video on my Tik Tok or IG

Raspberry Crumble Bars

Hunar Baig

The perfect buttery shortbread base, with sweet, shiny raspberry jam and topped with a crisp crumble.

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Prep Time 30 minutes mins

Cook Time 45 minutes mins

Total Time 1 hour hr 15 minutes mins

Course Dessert

Servings 16 Biscuits

Equipment

• 9×9 inch baking tray

Ingredients

  

• 300 g plain flour 2 1/2 cups
• 150 g light brown sugar 3/4 cup
• 55 g caster sugar 1/4 cup
• 1/8 tsp salt
• 1 tsp vanilla extract
• 250 g butter 1 cup + 2 tbsp
• 5 – 7 tbsp raspberry conserve (adjust according to liking)

Instructions

 

• Preheat an oven to (180 degree / gas mark 4 / 355° fahrenheit) and grease an 9×9 inch baking pan with butter
• In a large mixing bowl or food processor combine, the flour, butter, sugars, salt and vanilla until you have a crumbly dough with the texture of wet sand
• Press 2/3 of the mixture into the pan covering the surface, as even as possible and bake for 15 – 17 minutes
• When the base is firm and golden brown on the edges take out of the oven and spread the conserve or jam evenly leaving about 1 – 2 cm of space from the edge of the pan
• Then crumble the rest of the dough over the base equally, covering the edges of the pan and bake for a further 15 – 20 mins (flip halfway through)
• Once golden brown remove from the oven and let it cool for about 5 mins, and then cut with a sharp knife inside the tray into as many pieces as you like (I cut mine into 16 biscuits).

  The reason why you cut it before completely cools is that, as this cools it will get very crumbly and fall apart so please cut while still warm
• Let completely cool and enjoy!

Notes

I use the Bonne Maman raspberry conserve but feel free to you your favourite raspberry jam

These taste even better the next day as the jam sets into the cookie

If your dough is too wet you can adjust by adding a teaspoon of flour at a time and incorporate till you get the right consistency

If your dough is too dry you can add 5g butter in at a time and incorporate till you get the right consistency

Keyword Biscuits, Cookies, Raspberry