By December and the Christmas preparations in their proper order. I put up the small balsam tree first weekend of the month — the same spot in the living room, the same lights, the same ornaments in their order. This is the fourth time I've done this without Helen and I notice I'm faster at it now, more confident in what I'm doing, less prone to standing with an ornament in my hand wondering where it goes. It goes where it goes. I know where it goes.
The Christmas cookies started this week: the sand tarts first, the ones with the colored sugar, then the molasses cookies, then the Swedish pepparkakor. Helen's recipes, in her order, done the way she did them. I've been making these every December for four years now and they're getting better. The sand tart crust has improved. The molasses cookies spread correctly now instead of puffing and doming. Repetition teaches what reading cannot.
Carol came for a baking day on Saturday. She made her own versions of some of the same cookies alongside me — her interpretation of the pepparkakor is different from Helen's, spicier, which Carol has never apologized for. We filled two tins each and ate too many while they were warm. There is no alternative. You cannot make cookies and not eat them warm from the oven. That's the arrangement.
Christmas plans confirmed: Sarah and Jim and the boys, Frank and Barbara, Carol. Seven people. The long porch table brought inside. The Christmas lamb from the Hendersons. I've been thinking about the menu all week, which is how I know I'm looking forward to it.
Carol and I filled two tins each on Saturday, and I’ve been thinking ever since about what I might add to the rotation next year — something that holds well in a tin, that travels, that doesn’t require the same careful repetition the pepparkakor demands. The Humble Bumble Crumble Bars fit that need exactly: a buttery shortbread base, a layer of fruit, a crumble top that stays crisp. They’re the kind of thing Helen would have approved of without much ceremony, which is the highest endorsement I can give.
Humble Bumble Crumble Bars
Prep Time: 20 min | Cook Time: 35 min | Total Time: 55 min | Servings: 24 bars
Ingredients
- 2 1/4 cups all-purpose flour
- 1 cup granulated sugar, divided
- 1/4 teaspoon baking powder
- 1/4 teaspoon salt
- 1 cup (2 sticks) cold unsalted butter, cut into small pieces
- 1 large egg, lightly beaten
- 1 teaspoon vanilla extract
- 1 1/2 cups mixed berry jam or preserves (blackberry, raspberry, or a blend)
- 1 cup old-fashioned rolled oats
- 1/2 cup packed light brown sugar
- 1/2 teaspoon cinnamon
- 4 tablespoons cold unsalted butter, cut into small pieces (for crumble)
Instructions
- Preheat and prepare. Heat oven to 375°F. Grease a 9x13-inch baking pan and line with parchment paper, leaving an overhang on the long sides for easy removal.
- Make the base dough. In a large bowl, whisk together flour, 3/4 cup granulated sugar, baking powder, and salt. Add the cold butter pieces and work them in with your fingertips or a pastry cutter until the mixture resembles coarse crumbs with some pea-sized pieces remaining.
- Add egg and vanilla. Stir in the beaten egg and vanilla extract until the dough just comes together. It will be crumbly but should hold when pressed.
- Press in the base. Transfer about two-thirds of the dough to the prepared pan and press it evenly across the bottom in a firm, compact layer.
- Spread the filling. Spoon the jam or preserves over the dough base and spread it gently to within 1/2 inch of the edges.
- Make the crumble topping. To the remaining dough, add the oats, brown sugar, remaining 1/4 cup granulated sugar, and cinnamon. Work in the 4 tablespoons cold butter until the mixture forms irregular clumps. Scatter evenly over the jam layer.
- Bake. Bake for 32—38 minutes, until the top is golden brown and the filling is bubbling at the edges. Rotate the pan once halfway through baking.
- Cool completely. Allow the bars to cool in the pan on a wire rack for at least 1 hour before lifting out by the parchment and cutting into bars. They slice cleanest when fully cooled.
Nutrition (per serving)
Calories: 210 | Protein: 2g | Fat: 10g | Carbs: 29g | Fiber: 1g | Sodium: 55mg