Cranberry and Orange Crumble Bars

Method

1. I use a 23cm square, non-stick push up cake tin to make these bars. I line the base with baking paper to make it easy to slide the whole bar off the base once it has cooled before I cut them to size. If you are using a baking tray, make sure to fully line the tray leaving some overhang on the sides to make it easy to lift the bars out before cutting.

2. Start by making the shortbread base. Dice the butter and weigh out the other ingredients. Pop the all the ingredients for the shortbread into a food processor and blitz using a dough blade until you get a smooth crumbly dough that is just beginning to come together, this will only take a few minutes. Remove the dough from the processor and knead it lightly until it forms a smooth dough, again this will take just a minute or two.

3. Transfer the dough to your lined baking tin and spread it evenly across the base, pressing it into the corners to give an even base for your bars. Next, spoon the cranberry sauce on top of the dough, and spread it evenly across the base. If your cranberry sauce is quite smooth, scatter on a few dried cranberries as well to give a little extra texture and flavour. Finish this layer by spreading the zest of an orange across the cranberry sauce. Set aside while you make the crumble topping.

4. You can use the same food processor bowl that you used to make the shortbread dough to make the crumble topping. There is no need to wash it first, you are using many of the same of the same ingredients for the crumble topping. Dice the butter for the crumble and weigh out the other ingredients. Pop the flour, sugar, spices, and butter into the food processor ad blitz until you get a crumply, breadcrumb like texture. Again, this will only take minutes, once you see that all the flour has been incorporated, it is ready.

5. Tip the crumble into a bowl and add the flaked almonds and orange zest. Rub those in using your fingertips until you have a crumbly mixture with pea sized clumps. Scatter that evenly across the top of the cranberry layer in your baking tray and pop it into the oven. Bake for 45 minutes until the crumble is golden brown.

6. Remove the tray from the oven and allow it to cool in the pan on a wire rack. When it has completely cooled, remove it from the tray. Mix the icing sugar with the lemon and orange juice to make a smooth icing and drizzle that over the bar. Cut the bars into twelve portions and scatter with some dried cranberry and strips of orange zest. These bars will keep for three to four days in an airtight container, but to be honest, I doubt they will last that long!