Strawberry crumble bars Makes: 9-16 Takes: 60mins Ingredients: For the base and crumble top: 220g gluten-free plain flour ¼ tsp xanthan gum 100g (1 cup) gluten-free oats 150g (3/4 cup) caster sugar Grated zest of 1 lemon 155g (2/3 cup) butter, melted and cooled For the filling: 400g strawberries, sliced 1 tsp lemon juice 1½ tbsp cornflour 2 tbsp strawberry jam
Method: Preheat your oven to 160°C fan / 180°C and line a 20cm square baking tin with nonstick baking paper, leaving a little overhang as this will help you remove the bars from the tin later. In a large bowl, mix together your flour, xanthan gum, oats and sugar, then stir in the lemon zest. Pour in your melted butter and combine with a spatula so that you have a wet, sand-like texture. You should have some smaller and some larger chunks.
With an oaty, shortbread base, a jammy filling packed with fresh strawberries and a crumble topping, these would most definitely be on sale in my imaginary gluten-free bakery. Best of all, they’re easily transportable too!
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Press about two-thirds of your mixture into your prepared tin so you have a nice, even base. Pop the remaining third into a small bowl in the freezer while you prepare the fruit layer. Place the strawberries in a medium bowl, then add the lemon juice, cornflour and jam and mix gently to coat. Spread the strawberries out evenly on top of the base. Remove the mixture from the freezer and sprinkle it over the top of the fruit, ensuring the crumble pieces vary in size.
