Ingredients:

  • 1 ½ cups (180g) all-purpose flour
  • 1 cup (90g) rolled oats
  • ½ cup (100g) brown sugar, packed
  • ½ cup (1 stick, 113g) unsalted butter, chilled and cubed
  • 1 tsp (5g) vanilla extract
  • ½ tsp (2g) salt
  • 1 ½ cups (180g) freeze-dried raspberries
  • ½ cup (100g) white sugar
  • 2 tbsp (30g) lemon juice
  • 1 tbsp (8g) cornstarch
  • ½ tsp (2g) vanilla extract
  • 1 cup (240ml) water

Instructions:

  1. Preheat the oven to 350°F (175°C) and line the baking pan with parchment paper, leaving an overhang for easy removal.
  2. In a large mixing bowl, combine flour, oats, brown sugar, and salt. Add chilled butter and use a pastry cutter or your fingers to work it into the dry ingredients until crumbly. Stir in vanilla extract.
  3. Reserve 1 cup of the crumble mixture for topping. Press the remaining mixture into the bottom of the lined pan. Bake for 10 minutes.
  4. In a saucepan, combine freeze-dried raspberries, sugar, lemon juice, cornstarch, and water. Cook over medium heat, stirring gently until the mixture thickens and berries rehydrate (about 5-7 minutes).
  5. Spread the raspberry filling evenly over the pre-baked crust. Sprinkle the reserved crumble mixture on top.
  6. Return to the oven and bake for an additional 25-30 minutes, or until topping is golden brown.
  7. Allow the bars to cool in the pan for at least 15 minutes before lifting out and slicing into squares.