Breakfast Bars Recipe

This is one of my favorite recipes to bake during the holidays. The bars are buttery and flakey. The raspberry jam and streusel topping are so delicious with a hot cup of coffee - I know this recipe will become one of your holiday favorites, too. 

Raspberry & Apricot bars are ready to bake!

BREAKFAST BARS

FOR THE STREUSEL TOPPING:

2 ½ cups unbleached all-purpose flour

½ cup plus 2 tablespoons granulated sugar

1 teaspoon kosher salt

1 ¼ teaspoons baking powder

1 stick plus 2 tablespoons unsalted butter, cut into 1-inch cubes and frozen

1 extra-large egg, beaten

FOR THE DOUGH:

4 cups unbleached all-purpose flour

½ cup granulated sugar

½ cup light brown sugar, lightly packed

½ cup cornstarch

1 teaspoon kosher salt

4 sticks unsalted butter, chilled and cut into 1-inch cubes

FOR THE FILLING:

2 cups raspberry jam (or your favorite jam)

To prepare the topping: In the bowl of a food processor fitted with the steel blade or in the bowl of an electric mixer fitted with the paddle attachment, combine the flour, sugar, salt, and baking powder, and pulse, or mix on low, to incorporate. Add the butter and pulse on and off or mix on low until it’s the consistency of a coarse meal.

Transfer the mixture to a bowl and add the egg, tossing with your hands to incorporate. It should be crumbly and uneven. Chill until ready to use.

To prepare the dough: In the bowl of a food processor fitted with the steel blade or in the bowl of an electric mixer fitted with the paddle attachment, combine the flour, sugars, cornstarch, and salt. Add the butter and pulse on and off, or mix on low, until the dough barely comes together.

Turn the dough out onto a lightly floured work surface and gently knead to gather into a ball. Flatten into a disc and wrap in plastic to chill until firm, at least 2 hours or overnight.

Adjust the oven rack to the middle position and preheat the oven to 350 degrees.

On a lightly floured surface, roll the dough into a 10 x 16 inch rectangle, ¼ inch thick, flouring the surface as needed. (I like to roll it on Parchment paper then just move it to the cookie sheet.) Place on a parchment-lined baking sheet and bake until lightly browned, about 20-25 minutes. Allow to cool.

Spread the jam over the surface of the crust and crumble a heavy layer of topping over the jam.

Bake for about 40 minutes, until the topping is nicely browned.

When cool, cut into squares.

Source: Nancy Silverton’s Pastries from the La Brea Bakery