Peachy Peach Bars

Loaded with lots of crumb topping! Oh delicious, and lets pretend that they are also nutritious. While I may not have ended up with the most perfect of squares, I think these bars were really good. They tasted great with a dollop of vanilla ice cream as well.

I could not use my usual 9 x 13 as it is in the freezer with eggplant parmesan in it. One of these days I will bring it out. In the mean time I made due with this pan. While it was tad smaller it did work. I think it would be more set and more easy to cut into bars if I had made it in a true 9x13. I saw the recipe at Avril Millers site, Baking and Creating with Avril. I dont know you remember but I made these blueberry bars that I saw on Smitten Kitchen.  We loved them.  Well I guess the Brown Eyed Baker took that recipe and dreamed up this one.  It was delicious.


Peach Crumb Bars
Yield: 24 bars
adapted from Brown Eyed Bakers recipe
Dough:
3 cups all-purpose flour
1 cup granulated sugar
1 teaspoon baking powder
¼ teaspoon salt
1 cup (2 sticks) unsalted butter, cold
1 egg, lightly beaten

Filling:
5 cups diced or sliced peaches (about 7 scalded, and skinned pitted)
2 tablespoons lemon juice
½ cup all-purpose flour
1 cup granulated sugar
¼ teaspoon salt
½ teaspoon ground cinnamon
¼ teaspoon ground nutmeg
½ teaspoon ginger

Preheat the oven to 375 degrees F. Grease a 9×13-inch baking pan.
For the Dough: In a medium bowl whisk together the flour, sugar, baking powder and salt. Use a pastry blender to cut in the butter, and then the egg. The dough will be crumbly. You can also place the ingredients in a food processor.  Let the dry ingredients run in there for a few moments and then add the butter a tablespoon at a time. Pat half of the dough into the prepared pan. Place the pan and the remainder of the dough in the refrigerator while you prepare the filling.

For the Filling: Place the diced (or sliced) peaches in a large bowl and sprinkle with lemon juice. Mix gently. In a separate bowl whisk together the flour, sugar, salt, cinnamon and nutmeg. Pour over the peaches and mix gently.

Spread the peach mixture evenly over the crust. Crumble the remaining dough over the peach layer.

Bake in the preheated oven for 45 minutes, or until the top is slightly brown. Cool completely before cutting into squares.