Brown Butter Strawberry Streusel Bars

Invitation

Oh do you have time
to linger
for just a little while
out of your busy

and very important day
for the goldfinches
that have gathered
in a field of thistles

for a musical battle,
to see who can sing
the highest note,
or the lowest,

or the most expressive of mirth,
or the most tender?
Their strong blunt beaks
drink the air

as they strive
melodiously
not for your sake
and not for mine

and not for the sake of winning
but for sheer delight and gratitude—
believe us, they say,
it is a serious thing

just to be alive
on this fresh morning
in this broken world.
I beg of you,

do not walk by
without pausing
to attend to this
rather ridiculous performance.

It could mean something.
It could mean everything.
It could be what Rilke meant, when he wrote:
You must change your life. 
                           ~ Mary Oliver, from Red Bird

Sending thoughts and brightly-coloured wishes of hope and healing to everyone touched by the events of last week. xo

I could easily, and happily, fill my blog with bars of fruit-filled streusel. But when you love something to the point of starry-eyed adoration, it's best savoured in tiny, seemingly-light-year apart, doses. Agreed?

Last year's brown butter cranberry shortbread was my recipe muse. The crust and topping are basically the same - I adjusted the filling to accommodate the genteel strawberries; adding a splash of red wine + a wisp of cornstarch. The result is a luxurious, buttery, sweet bar with a subtle crisp burst of lemon (of course).

Happy almost-weekend, everyone!

Brown Butter Strawberry Streusel Bars
makes about 25-30 bars

for the crust and crumb topping
1 cup (2 sticks) + 5 Tablespoons unsalted butter, cut into chunks
1 cup granulated sugar (divided into 3/4 cup and 1/4 cup)
1/2 teaspoon salt
2 egg yolks, slightly beaten
1/2 teaspoon almond extract
3 cups + 3 Tablespoons all-purpose flour

for the strawberry filling
3 heaping cups of fresh strawberries, hulled and cut into chunks
1/2 cup granulated sugar (use more if needed)
1/4 cup fresh lemon juice
3 teaspoons corn starch
2 Tablespoons red wine (optional. Feel free to use water or juice instead)

method
Line a 9x13-inch pan with foil, leaving a slight overhang along the edges. Lightly butter the entire foil-lined pan.

Prepare the crust: Have a medium heat-proof bowl on hand for the brown butter.
In a large saucepan, melt the butter over medium-low heat. Increase the heat to medium and, stirring occasionally, cook the butter until it turns golden brown and develops a nutty aroma. Depending on the stove's heat, it can take 5-8 minutes for the butter to brown properly. During this process the butter will first become foamy before changing color, making it difficult to see what's going on. Just be sure to give it a good stir now and then so that the butter doesn't burn. Once it's gorgeous and fragrant, remove the pan from the heat and transfer the butter to a heat-proof bowl. Cool to room temperature. {Note:You want to butter to be cool enough so that it won't scramble the eggs when they're added.}

In a large bowl, combine the cooled brown butter, 3/4 cup of sugar, and salt. Stir till well blended. Add the yolks and the almond extract, whisk until smooth. Using a large rubber spatula or wooden spoon, stir in the flour until you have a stiff dough.

Transfer about 2 cups of the dough to the foil-lined pan and press it evenly onto the bottom.{Note: It doesn't have to be exactly two cups, just keep in mind that whatever dough is left over will be used as the crumb topping.} Refrigerate the pan for about 40 minutes.

Topping: Add the 1/4 cup of sugar to the remaining dough, and using your fingertips, work the sugar into the dough until becomes crumbly and sandy. Cover and set aside.

Place one oven rack on the second slot from the bottom. Preheat to 325 F.

Remove the pan from the refrigerator and prick the crust several times with a fork. {Note: Chilling and pricking the dough will keep it from puffing up too much in the oven.}

Place the pan on the lower oven rack and bake for about 15 minutes, just until the crust begins to set. Don't worry if the center still looks doughy, it's better to under-bake it at this stage.
Remove the partially-baked crust from the oven and place it onto a cooling rack. Turn off the oven.

Prepare the filling: In a large saucepan, combine the chunks of berries, sugar, lemon juice, corn starch, and wine (if using). Stir to combine. Bring to a boil gentle over med-high heat. Once it starts to boil, reduce the heat to medium and cook, stirring occasionally, until the liquid turns into a thick syrup (about 8-10 minutes). Remove the pan from the heat and allow the mixture to cool to room temperature. {Note: It will continue to thicken as it cools.} Mine took about 40 minutes to cool. If you're in a hurry, place the saucepan in the fridge. 

Preheat the  oven to 350F.

Spread the berry mixture over the partially-baked crust. Sprinkle the remaining dough mixture over the berries.

Bake 25-30 minutes, or until the crumb topping is light golden.

Remove the pan from the oven and place on a cooling rack. Cool for at least 3 hours before removing the bars from the pan (use the foil overhang to lift them out of the pan).

Cut into squares - any size you prefer.