Delicious and Easy Raspberry Bars

These delicious and easy raspberry bars are simple to make and ideal for a tea time treat. They are a great way to use an over abundant raspberry crop

June and July bring soft fruit aplenty. British Raspberries and strawberries are ripening on the plants. Their wonderful sweet flavour is perfect for summer desserts. I have a number of raspberry canes in my garden that seem to have taken over a corner. I originally put in one raspberry cane. It seems to have run riot and spread all over. This year I have a bumper crop of raspberries.

I have made pots of raspberry jam, and frozen numerous bags of raspberries. It is lucky that raspberries freeze well and you can easily cook with them from frozen. There are still lots of raspberries ripening on the canes so I am looking for ways to use them up. I need to do this before I open the freezer and a load of frozen raspberries fall out and attack me!

Delicious and Easy Raspberry Bars

These delicious and easy raspberry bars are really simple to make. The simple crumb pastry base has a topping of raspberries and sugar. During the cooking these form a jam layer which is really tasty. If you want you can add some extra crumb pastry to the top to make raspberry crumble bars.

This recipe uses fresh raspberries. Frozen raspberries will work just as well. They will defrost properly during the cooking forming a lovely jammy layer on the base. If you are not lucky enough to have your own raspberry canes now is the time to buy British raspberries in the supermarket. They grow well in our cool damp climate and right now the flavour is at the best. If you are wondering what else is in season in July you can have a look at the list I made.

How to make the delicious and easy raspberry bars

These delicious raspberry bars are really simple to make. If you have kids I am sure they will love to make them. The base is a simple mix of flour, sugar and butter with a little baking powder. Rub the butter into the flour and sugar and press into a baking tin to form the base of the bars. I always find rubbing in butter such a relaxing thing to do. The feel of the flour between your fingers as it turns to breadcrumb consistency makes it a soothing task.

Once the base is complete mix the raspberries with the sugar and cornflour to form a paste. This is spread over the base and turns into a jam like layer in the oven. If you have any left over mixture from the base sprinkle it on top of the raspberries to make a crumble topping. After doing this all you need to do is wait. They need to cook for thirty minutes and then cool before they can be eaten. It is worth the wait, these bars are delicious with a cup of tea.

Raspberry bar recipe

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