SHARE some love with these delicious Cherry Crumble Bars with Bourbon Slush!
Cherry Crumble Bars with Bourbon Slush
Sue and Gary treated us to Cherry Crumble Bars with Bourbon Slush as the finale for our Food Truck Extravaganza!
I love the old-fashioned, all-American feel of this fruit-based dessert. Yet they also boast a unique spin – finely ground almonds in the crust & topping. A perfect selection for our food truck event that would be great for any casual gathering. While these bars are delicious on their own, you can take things up a notch by serving them with ice cream. Mmmm…so good.
Shaved Ice for Grown-ups!
Shaved Ice was the popular food-truck refreshment that inspired Sue & Gary to whip up a batch of Bourbon Slush. While these slushy treats are as refreshing as shaved ice, they are certainly meant for grown-ups! Your taste buds will be delighted by the spicy blend of brewed tea, lemonade, orange juice and, of course, bourbon.
There was also one last cherry on the sundae, so to speak. Susan had recently read Dinner with Edward: A Story of Unexpected Friendship by Isabel Vincent . She had enjoyed this book so much, she wanted to share a copy with each of the couples. What a wonderful parting gift from our dear friends. Just like the book’s characters, we have shared many a memorable meal together and formed a lasting friendship. We will miss you Sue and Gary and wish you well on this next chapter in life.
Ingredients
Cherry Crumble Bars
- 2 cups all-purpose flour
- 1 ¼ cups finely ground almonds
- 3/4 cup packed brown sugar
- 1 cup butter cut up
- ¾ cup granulated sugar
- 1 tablespoon cornstarch
- ½ teaspoon finely shredded lemon peel
- 4 cups frozen red cherries thawed and drained
- ½ teaspoon almond extract
Bourbon Slush
- 4 tea bags
- 2 cups boiling water
- 1 1/2 cups sugar
- 1 – 12 oz can frozen concentrated orange juice
- 1 – 6 oz can frozen concentrated lemonade
- 1-2 cups bourbon I use 2
- 7 cups of water
Instructions
Cherry Crumble Bars
- Preheat oven to 350 degrees. Line a 13x9x2-inch baking pan with foil, extending the foil over the edges of the pan; set aside.
- For crust, in a large bowl, stir together the flour, almonds, and brown sugar. Using a pastry blender, cut in the butter until mixture resembles fine crumbs. Remove 1-1/2 cups of the mixture; set aside. Press the remaining mixture evenly onto the bottom of prepared baking pan. Bake in the preheated oven for 15 minutes.
- Meanwhile, for filling, in another large bowl, combine the granulated sugar, cornstarch, and lemon peel. Add cherries and almond extract; toss gently to combine. Spoon cherry filling over hot baked crust, spreading evenly (mixture will be wet). Sprinkle with reserved crumb mixture.
- Bake about 40 minutes more or until filling is bubbly and topping is lightly browned. Cool in pan on a wire rack. Using the edges of the foil, lift the baked mixture out of the pan. Invert onto a baking sheet; remove foil. Invert again onto a cutting board. Cut into bars.
Bourbon Slush
- Steep the tea in the boiling water for 3 minutes. Remove tea bags and add sugar. Stir until dissolved. Pour sweetened tea over the orange juice and lemonade in a large freezer container (with lid). This will help thaw the juices. Stir in the bourbon and water. Mix thoroughly, cover and freeze. Serve in an old fashioned size glass with a spoon and straw. You can use some lemon-lime soda to pour over, but why dilute! Very refreshing on a hot summer day.
Bars Looks amazing , I like the adult slushy idea! 😉