Jamun and Berry Bars - Recipe by Hetal Vasavada

Ingredients

Jamun and berry filling:

1/2 cup (67 g) frozen jamun, thawed
5 strawberries (83 g), fresh or frozen
1/3 cup (70 g) blueberries, fresh or frozen
1/2 cup (75 g) blackberries, fresh or frozen
2 Tbs light brown sugar
2 Tbs cornstarch
2 tsp vanilla extract
3 Tbs (65 g) berry jam, such as strawberry, mixed, blueberry

Cookie dough:

140 g unsalted butter, at room temperature
2/3 cup (70 g) powdered sugar
5 Tbs (35 g) cornstarch
1/2 tsp kosher salt
21/2 Tbs (40mL) heavy cream
2 tsp vanilla extract
1 1/4 cups (150 g) all-purpose flour
6 Tbs (36 g) oat flour

Method

For the jamun and berry filling:

In a large bowl, combine the thawed jamun and berries. Use the back of a fork to smash all the berries and jamun until it’s mostly liquid. Stir in the brown sugar, cornstarch, vanilla, and jam and set aside.

For the cookie dough:

Preheat the oven to 180 C. Line a 20 cm square pan with parchment paper, making sure to cut it so that it has an overhang.

In a stand mixer fitted with the paddle, combine the butter, powdered sugar, cornstarch and salt. Beat on high speed for 3 minutes.

Add the cream and vanilla and mix for 1 minute. Add the all-purpose flour and oat flour and mix until all the ingredients are well incorporated and there are no dry pockets of flour.

Spoon half of the cookie dough into the baking pan and use an offset spatula to spread it into an even, thin layer.

Bake until the top is golden brown, 15 to 18 minutes. Remove from the oven but leave the oven on.

While the crust is hot, use the bottom of a measuring cup to press the baked crust down. Pour the jamun and berry mixture on top of the crust. Spoon the rest of the cookie dough into a piping bag fitted with a star tip (Ateco 864) and pipe a lattice design over the berry mixture.

Return to the oven and bake until the lattice portion starts to brown slightly, 30 to 35 minutes.

Cool the bars in the pan for 2 to 3 hours. Cut into squares before serving.

Make it simple:

Instead of piping on the lattice pattern, you can break the dough up into small pieces and evenly scatter them on top before baking.

Credits: This is an edited extract from Desi Bakes: 85 Recipes Bringing the Best of Indian Flavors to Western-Style Desserts by Hetal Vasavada, published by Hardie Grant Books. Available in stores nationally f

Photo Credits: This is an edited extract from Desi Bakes: 85 Recipes Bringing the Best of Indian Flavors to Western-Style Desserts by Hetal Vasavada, published by Hardie Grant Books. Available in stores nationally f