Blueberry Shortbread Bars with Almond Caramel
Three layer bars of scrumptiousness to delight all your friends. Almond shortbread is topped with a sort of blueberry and rose jam which is itself topped with an easy to make almond and chocolate caramel. These blueberry shortbread bars are sweet, sticky, fruity and wonderfully textured.
There was nothing for it, with a fridge load of blueberries in need of using up, I just had to do some baking. Interrogating my books, via Eat Your Books, two recipes appealed: Dan Lepard’s blueberry almond bar from Short and Sweet and blueberry streusel muffins from Tea with Bea. It was a tough choice, but in the end Dan won out.
Blueberry and Rose Almond Shortbread
Shockingly, chocolate did not feature in this recipe, so I added some. I also decided to cook the blueberries in rose syrup. The flavour of rose goes well with a lot of fruit, but particularly so with blueberries. I also upscaled the recipe, as I didn’t have the required twenty centimetre tin.
This blueberry and rose almond shortbread recipe is a three stage process. However, none of the stages are particularly long or arduous.
The blueberry and caramel mixture merges a little whilst the blueberry bars are cooking. But don’t be disappointed. They taste delightfully fruity and the almond shortbread base is delicious and just the right texture. As for the crunchy almond caramel, it adds additional interest and just the right amount of sweetness.
Remarkably, the first time I made these blueberry almond shortbread bars, some of them survived for several days and the last ones tasted just as good as the first. I’ve never managed to make them last as long since then, but it’s good to know they keep well if needed.
Blueberry and Rose Jam
Firstly you need to make a sort of easy blueberry jam concoction. As stated above, I simmered the blueberries in rose syrup. But instead of using cornflour to thicken the jam, I used arrowroot. I really like arrowroot, it fulfils the same sort of function as cornflour, but it’s actively good for you. Win win.
The resulting jam come compote is not only delicious, but excellent for topping pancakes and waffles too.
Almond Shortbread
Then you make the almond shortbread. It’s not really shortbread as you don’t need eggs for that and this mixture contains an egg. But shortbread is a sort of shorthand for a biscuity texture that people understand. It’s made with ground almonds as well as flour.
In the photos you see here, I made the shortbread with half wholemeal spelt and half white. However, I now make it with 100% wholemeal spelt flour. It doesn’t look as yellow, but it tastes just as good.
Almond Caramel
The third layer is a sort of chocolate and almond caramel. It’s flavoured with almond extract and also contains flaked almonds. If you don’t like the idea of chocolate, just leave it out.
Other Blueberry Recipes You Might Like
- Blueberry kefir smoothie
- Blueberry, rose & white chocolate cake
- Caramelised blueberry blondies
- Sugar-free blueberry & lemon cupcakes
- Vegan blueberry muffins
- White chocolate & blueberry flapjacks
Keep in Touch
Thanks for visiting Tin and Thyme. If you try these blueberry and rose almond shortbread bars, I’d love to hear about it in the comments below. And do please rate the recipe. Have you any top tips? Do share photos on social media too and use the hashtag #tinandthyme, so I can spot them.
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Choclette x
Blueberry Shortbread Bars
Blueberry Shortbread Bars – The Recipe
Blueberry Shortbread Bars
Ingredients
Blueberry Rose Jam
- 300 g blueberries
- 100 ml rose syrup
- 25 g golden granulated or caster sugar Alternatively add 75g of caster sugar, 50 ml water and a tbsp of rose water.
- 3 tsp arrowroot
Shortbread
- 180 g wholemeal spelt flour or half wholemeal, half white if you prefer
- ¾ tsp baking powder
- 60 g ground almonds
- 75 g golden caster sugar
- 110 g unsalted butter
- 1 large egg (I used a duck egg)
Almond Caramel
- 50 ml milk
- 2 tsp honey
- 100 g light brown sugar (I used muscovado sugar)
- 75 g flaked almonds
- 25 g ground almonds
- 1 drop almond extract
- 30 g dark chocolate optional
Instructions
Blueberry Rose Jam
- Wash the blueberries and put them in a pan.
- Add the rose syrup and sugar.
- Bring the mixture to a gentle simmer.
- Mix the arrowroot in 30ml cold water.
- Add to the blueberries and stir well. Continue to simmer for about five minutes, until the mixture has thickened and is deep blue in colour.
- Leave to cool.
Shortbread
- Sift the flour and baking powder into a large bowl.
- Add the ground almonds and sugar.
- Cut the butter into pieces and rub into the flour with your fingertips.
- Add the egg and stir with a fork to mix it in.
- Pour the mixture into a 23cm square tin lined with baking parchment and press it flat with the back of a spoon.
- Spoon the cooled blueberry compote over the biscuit base.
- Spoon the almond caramel over the blueberries.
- Bake in a preheated oven at 180℃ (350℉, Gas 4) for 30 minutes. Allow to cool in the tin, then cut into 12 squares.
Almond Caramel
- Pour the milk into a small pan.
- Add the honey, sugar, almonds and almond extract.
- Bring the mixture to a simmer and cook for a few minutes until it thickens slightly.
- Take off the heat and add the chocolate, if using.
excellent this bars. Something very original. I am bookmarking this. Ciao!
lush :-)Was flicking through Short & Sweet yesterday…
These look awesome!!!
They look lovely, it’s great how you’ve adapted them to include the flavours you enjoy. I remember making these when the recipe first appeared in the Guardian but I didn’t blog them as I didn’t get a decent photograph. Must remake and blog because they were great. I had a disaster with the topping though (although I can’t quite remember why, and obviously I wasn’t using almonds). Hmm, I really must look at this recipe again ASAP, thanks for the reminder!
I love how you manage to add chocolate to everything 🙂 These look gorgeous – I love the sound of blueberry and rose, a combination I’ve never tried before.
I really love the sound of the almondy caramel topping the blueberry compote as well as a shortbread base. You are so good at creating new ideas I just wish I could try them all out. Rose syrup with the blueberries must be amazing!
That shiny topping looks amazing…bet it tasted amazing too!
so glazey and shiny and sticky and just so bloody drool-worthy… need it need it need it NOW!!!… plus, adding the chocolate has taken them a level about perfection!
Sticky and fruity squares get always my attention. These look tempting, fruity topping with a hint of chocolate, of course. I like Dan Lepard recipes too.
Another delicious bake, your blueberry bars look lush. A perfect treat x
Oh yum, they look very nice and squidgey…x
i’m sure the chocolate made all the difference!
This sounds lovely! What a great combination of flavours!
Yes I quite agree, when there is a fridge full of berries your only option is to bake ;0)
And I like how you added chocolate too, for everything is a million times better with this addition. They do sound like a lovely flavor combo.