Summer Fruit Crostata Bars

I was watching Barefoot Contessa the other day and she made a Summer Fruit Crostata with peaches, plums, and blueberries. I couldn't help but want to make something with that fruit combination. So at the Farmer's Market yesterday, I bought all the fruit and then had to decide what I wanted to make. I didn't want to make a crostata, but something more hand-held. My final decision was to make Summer Fruit Crostata Bars. The bars have a crunchy crust, a smooth fruity filling, and a soft crumbly topping. They taste like southern cobbler, but you can walk around with one in your hand... what's not to love about that?! Well these were perfect as a summer treat and great for a grill out or cook out with friends. I love 'em! Enjoy :)

Summer Fruit Crostata Bars

For the Crust:

2C AP Flour

1t Baking Powder

½t Salt

1 Stick of Unsalted Butter, Softened

1C Granulated Sugar

¼t Cinnamon

For the Summer Fruit Filling:

2C Fresh Peaches, Diced

2C Ripe Black Plums, Diced

1 ½C Fresh Blueberries

2T Orange Juice

½t Grated Orange Zest

½C AP Flour

1C Granulated Sugar

Pinch of Salt

½t Cinnamon

¼t Nutmeg

For the Crostata Topping:

1 ½C AP Flour

½C Sugar

½t Baking Powder

Pinch of Salt & Cinnamon

1 Stick of Unsalted Butter, Cold

1 Egg, Lightly Beaten  

Directions:

1. Preheat the oven to 350 degrees and line a 13x9-baking pan with foil and spray the bottom and the sides, and then set aside.
2. To Make the Crust: In a medium bowl, sift together flour, baking powder, and salt. In large bowl, using a mixer on medium speed, beat together the butter and sugar until creamy, about 1-2 minutes. And then, reduce the speed to low and beat in the flour mixture until just combined and crumbly. Press the mixture into the bottom of the prepared pan. Bake for 15 minutes or until light golden around the edges. Remove from the oven and let cool slightly while you prepare the summer fruit filling.
3. Increase the heat of the oven to 375 degrees.

4. To Make the Crostata Topping: Combine the flour, sugar, baking powder, salt, cinnamon, and butter in a bowl and using a pastry blended, cut in the butter. Blend until the dough is crumbly. Set this in the refrigerator until ready to top the bars.

5. To Make the Summer Fruit Filling: Place the diced peaches, plums, and blueberries into a bowl. Toss them with the orange juice and zest. In a separate bowl, whisk together the flour, sugar, salt, cinnamon, and nutmeg. Pour this mixture over the summer fruit and mix gently until all of the fruit is lightly covered in the flour mixture. Spread the fruit mixture evenly over the slightly baked crust. Top the fruit with the refrigerated Crostata topping. Bake at 375 degrees for 35-45 minutes or until the top is slightly brown and the fruit filling is cooked through (depending on your oven).

6. Let the bars cool completely before cutting into the squares (if you can wait that long!)

source: summer fruit crostata. crumb bars. crunchy crust. 

Check out Sweets for a Saturday for this recipe, as well as many others!!