Blueberry Almond Bars from Vicki Delany

Better than blueberry pie! And that’s saying a lot.  These really are fantastic and they freeze well. They’re even good still frozen straight out of the freezer.  

These bars would be great at your holiday buffet or for bringing to a potluck. Frozen blueberries (don’t thaw them first) will do in a pinch although I strongly recommend fresh blueberries.

As many of you know, I spend a lot of time in the charming mountain town of Nelson, BC.  My Constable Molly Smith series is set in a fictional version of Nelson, a town called Trafalgar.  The ski area outside Nelson, Whitewater, is famous, and one of the attractions is the restaurant in the lodge called Fresh Tracks Café.

Chef Shelly Adams has written a series of Whitewater Cooks cookbooks, based on what she serves in the café and what she and her friends cook at home.  Home | Whitewater Cooks

This recipe is adapted from Whitewater Cooks at Home.

Blueberry Almond Bars

Ingredients:

For the crust:

1 ½ cups butter, room temperature

1 ½ cups brown sugar

2 cups rolled oats

1 ½ cups flour

1 cup sliced almonds

1 tsp baking powder

½ tsp salt

1 ½ tsp cinnamon

 

For the filling:

4 cups fresh blueberries

¾ cup sugar

1 tsp almond extract

¼ tsp ground nutmeg

2 tbsp flour

 

Directions:

For crust:

Preheat oven to 350 degrees

Line a 9 X 13 inch baking pan with parchment paper. Use enough paper that it extends beyond the edges of the pan.

In an electric mixer beat butter together and brown sugar.

Add oats, flour, almonds, baking powder, salt and cinnamon and mix. The mixture will be crumbly.

Press 2/3 of the crust mixture into the prepared pan

 

For filling:

Toss blueberries with sugar, almond extract, nutmeg and flour.

Spread blueberries over the bottom crust.

Spread the remaining crust mixture on the top.

Bake for about 50-60 minutes until top is light golden brown.

Cool completely before removing from pan and cutting.

 

Find Vicki at www.vickidelany.com.  She’s on Facebook at www.facebook.com/evagatesauthor (as Vicki Delany & Eva Gates) and Instagram @vicki.delany. To sign up for Vicki’s quarterly newsletter, go here: Vicki Delany – Canadian Author of Mystery Novels and Suspense Novels » Contact

Now available: The seventh Year Round Christmas mystery, A Slay Ride Together with You.