Blackberry Pie Bars

I found this recipe on the "Joy the Baker" blog. It is fabulous. I was looking for blackberry pie recipes because we have A LOT of blackberries right now. Her recipe says to make them in a 13x9 pan. I did that, but it just wasn't quite right. So I kept the crust the same, and did a 1-1/2 for the filling so that I could bake it in a sheet pan. SUCCESS!!! So here is the recipe for baking them in a sheet pan. The problem is that you may not have 8 cups of blackberries, or really not want an entire sheet pan full of delicious blackberry bars calling your name and trying to convince you that even though they are full of butter and sugar, because they have blackberries, they're healthy. Anyway, half this recipe for a 13x9 pan, or quarter this recipe for a 9x9 square pan. A 9x9 pan will make about 9 squares. Which is plenty for even a large family.

Crust and Topping:

3 cups all-purpose flour
1-1/2 cups butter (3 sticks) I used salted. If you use unsalted, add 1/4 tsp. salt
1-1/2 cups sugar
zest of 2 lemons

Blackberry Filling:

6 eggs
3 cups sugar
1-1/2 cups sour cream
1-1/4 cups flour
pinch of salt
juice from 2 lemons
8 cups of blackberries (if you use frozen, thaw and drain them)

Optional: Fresh whipped cream to top it. These are delicious with, or without. You can also substitute blueberries for blackberries. If you do this, you will only need 6 cups of blueberries. And don't add them to the batter. Spread them out around the crust, and then pour the batter over them.

Directions:

Preheat oven to 350 F. Spray sheet pan with cooking spray. In small bowl, combine sugar and lemon zest. In larger bowl, combine flour and butter. (The butter should be cold, and cut into small pieces.) I tried using a hand mixer, but it didn't work very well. That's when I just got my hands in there and mixed it. When the butter is pea-sized, mix in the sugar and lemon zest. Reserve 1-1/2 cups for topping and press remainder onto bottom of sheet pan. Bake for 10 minutes and start making filling.

For filling, begin by beating eggs with a whisk. Add sugar and sour cream and mix well. Then add flour and salt and mix well. Don't beat. Stir in juice from lemons. Gently stir in blackberries. Pour onto crust once it has finished baking. You will probably need to spread out the blackberries so that they are more evenly spaced. Then sprinkle the top with the reserved crust. Return to oven and bake for 45 minutes. Allow to cool for about an hour. Refrigerate left-overs.