fresh blueberry crumb bars with lemon-rosemary crust

I grew up listening to my mom's old records (and cassette tapes) of Jacques Brel, The Mamas & The Papas, Françoise Hardy and Simon & Garfunkel - maybe a little Neil Diamond, too. Each song felt like a secret treasure to my young, eager ears. At the wise age of six I was utterly mesmerized by Françoise's clear, sometimes melancholy, voice and lush lyrics. "Dream a Little Dream of Me," as sung by Mama Cass, was pure perfection. Oh, how I wanted to know what it felt like to be so much in love that I'd ask someone to keep me in their dreams (and what do birds sound like when they sing in sycamore trees?). "Ne Me Quitte Pas" was deliciously heart wrenching (although the more recent version by Emilíana Torrini is equally haunting).

My favourite songs were, and always will be, anything by Simon & Garfunkel.  "Scarborough Fair," in particular, conjured up beautifully wistful images in my overactive imagination. Even now, "Scarborough Fair" makes me think of a blustery day (maybe in early autumn?). It's a surreal, strange weather kind of late afternoon; heavy clouds can be seen racing across the ground, outlined by a reticent sun. Someone somewhere is trying to remember something on the grounds of an abandoned carnival set just outside a thick forest of trees...not the shady kind of carnival; an old-school carnival with elaborate carousel horses + rusted swans and vendors wearing tweed vests would handing out cigars and women holding parasols. Parsley, sage, rosemary and thyme - I love each and every one. Not only for their ability to heighten the flavour of food, but for the unexpected beauty their presence brings to a rich, tapestry-like song.

Rosemary is a beloved herb, so I was overjoyed when this recipe turned out to be even better than I'd anticipated!

If you love the woodsy scent and piney flavour of rosemary, I know you will adore these bars. If you're still on the fence about using herbs in a sweet pastry, you can dial down the amount (the recipe includes measurements for both). Personally I think blueberries and rosemary were made for each other.

The crust, topping and filling are infused with lemon (of course!). The lemon helps keep the bars from straying into the too-sweet territory. Citrus, by default, gives everything a fresh, airy ambiance. This recipe is practically necessary (I would like to say it must be made, but being bossy leaves a bad taste in my mouth). It's still summer; have fun, enjoy the harvest of fresh fruit that's readily available, be inspired by your favourite songs and don't be afraid to allow sweets & savories to mingle...their love children are quite tasty.

Blueberry Crumb Bars with Lemon-Rosemary Crust
makes about 30-34 bars

for the crust and crumb
3/4 cup granulated sugar
grated zest from one lemon (about 1 Tablespoon)
2 Tablespoons fresh rosemary, finely chopped {Note: I Love rosemary so I wanted the flavour to be very pronounced. If you prefer, you may use less. 1 Tablespoon should still suffice.}
3 cups all-purpose flour
1 teaspoon baking powder
1/4 teaspoon salt
8 ounces (that's 2 sticks) unsalted butter, cold and cut into cubes
1 egg, lightly beaten

for the filling
1 cup blueberry preserves
3 1/2 cups fresh blueberries
1/4 cup granulated sugar (use more or less depending on the sweetness of the berries)
1 Tablespoon fresh lemon juice
3 teaspoons cornstarch

method
Preheat the oven to 375 F. Line a 9x13-inch pan with foil, shiny side up - leave a slight overhang along the edges (this will make the bars easier to remove from the pan). Butter the foil.

Prepare the crust & crumb topping: In a large mixing bowl, combine the sugar, lemon zest, and chopped rosemary. Use your fingers to rub the zest and rosemary into the sugar until it becomes moist and aromatic. Whisk in the flour, baking powder, and salt. Add the cold cubes of butter and the beaten egg - use a pastry cutter to work the butter and egg into the dry ingredients. The mixture will be very crumbly but should hold together when pinched.

Press about half the mixture into the bottom of prepared pan. Spread the blueberry jam over the crust - leaving about a 1/2-inch bare border around the edges.

In a separate large bowl, combine the blueberries, sugar, lemon juice, and cornstarch. Gently stir everything together - taking care not to crush the berries. Distribute the berry mixture evenly over the blueberry jam and crust (it's okay if the berries touch the edges of the pan).

Sprinkle the remaining dough mixture over the berries. Use large and small clumps - it will make the bars more rustic and interesting. :)

Bake for 45 - 55 minutes or until the crumb topping turns very light brown - the berries should be bubbling slightly too.

Remove the pan from the oven and place it onto a cooling rack. Cool completely (about 5 hours) before slicing. Once the pan has reached room temperature you can place it in the refrigerator to cool off faster. Use the foil overhang to lift the bars out of the pan.

recipe inspired by smitten kitchen