Strawberry shortcake bars

 

Writing the blog after a really long time....tried something a couple of days ago after my family picked some berries - strawberries this time, from a nearby farm!!  The above one is a sample picture...

My kids love strawberries and since we have a lot of these picked, I tried some strawberry bars from a recipe that I found online.  My family and many of my friends liked it a lot.

Without further ado, here is the recipe for all my dear friends.

Prep time: 15 - 20 mins.

Cooking time: 28 mins.

Ingredients for the base:

All purpose flour - 3 cups.

Organic cane Sugar - 1.5 cups

Baking soda - 1/2 tsp

Grated lemon peel - 1 tsp (optional)

Butter - 2 sticks ( equal to 1 cup) - cut these into small pieces 

Yogurt - 2 table spoons

Ingredients for the filling:

Fresh strawberries - 12 oz (Frozen might also work fine)

Organic cane sugar - 1.25 cups

Water - 1/4 cup

Corn Starch - 3 tablespoons

Grated lemon peel - 1 tsp (optional)

Vanilla - 1/2 tsp or a few drops (use one without alcohol).

Steps to make it:

1. Preheat oven to 350F.
2. Mix all base ingredients well into a very coarse crumb mixture.
3. Butter can be in crumbs to give the final texture.
4. Set aside 2 cups of this mixture.
5. Place the remaining mixture into a 13"*9" pan and spread them over, pat them.  
6. Bake this for 8 minutes.  At the end of 8 minutes you will see that these have become like shortbread.
7. While it's baking, you can prepare the strawberry filling.
8. Crush the strawberries in a blender coarsely before you start cooking them.
   
9. Mix all of the filling ingredients into a saucepan and cook for 15 minutes in medium heat.  Stir it a few times in between to ensure that these don't stick to the sides.
10. The consistency should be like a jam and easily pour-able on to the baked short bread.
11. Once the shortbread is done, pour the filling, even it out on the whole surface.
12. Sprinkle the remaining set aside mixture onto the top of this jam layer.
13. Bake at 350F for 20 minutes or until golden brown layers are formed at the side.
14. Cool it, offer it to Lord and then enjoy!

Note: After you cool these for 2 hrs or so, these can be easily cut into different sizes.  These can be made in stored for 4 or 5 days.

Please try this and let me know how it comes out!