Berry Almond Crumb Bars

OAT ALMOND CRUST

•1 ½ cups all purpose flour

•1 ⅓ cups quick or old fashioned oats

•¾ cup brown sugar, lightly packed

•⅔  cup toasted almonds, finely chopped

•⅓ cup white sugar

•Heaping 1 teaspoon fine salt

•½ teaspoon baking powder

•10 tablespoons unsalted butter, melted 

•2 teaspoons vanilla extract

FRUIT LAYER

•¼ cup your favorite berry jam or preserves

•1 pound fresh strawberries, cleaned, hulled and diced into ½” pieces

•1 cup fresh or frozen blueberries or raspberries

•2 Tablespoons granulated sugar

•2 teaspoons all purpose flour

•Pinch fine salt

•Zest of one small orange or one lemon

•Juice of half the orange or the lemon

1. Preheat your oven to 375*F and place a rack in the center of the oven.
2. Grease a 9”x9” square pan or a ¼ sheet pan and line the bottom with parchment paper. Grease the parchment and then set aside.
3. To make the oat almond crust, combine all of the dry ingredients for the crust in a medium bowl and mix to combine. Add the melted butter and vanilla and stir to combine- the mixture should clump together in your hands. If it seems dry stir in a few teaspoons of water.
4. Take a little more than half of the dough and press it evenly into the bottom of the prepared pan. Reserve the remaining dough to the side.
5. Use a spoon to spread the jam/preserves over top of the crust, stopping short of the edge of the pan.
6. Combine the remaining ingredients for the fruit layer in a medium bowl and toss well to combine. Pour the fruit into an even layer over the jam covered crust.
7. Take the reserved dough and break into crumbly pieces and then sprinkle evenly over the fruit layer. 
8. Bake the bars for 20 minutes at 375*F and then reduce the oven temperature to 350*F and bake for an additional 36-40 minutes, or until the center of the fruit layer is bubbling and the topping is golden.
9. Remove from the oven and cool completely before slicing.

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