Zesty Berry Orange Crumble Bars

1.Preheat your oven to 175°C (350°F). Line a 9x13 inch baking pan with parchment paper, leaving an overhang on the sides for easy removal.

2.Prepare the shortbread base: In a large bowl, cream together the softened butter and 1 cup of sugar until light and fluffy. Beat in the egg yolks, orange zest, and vanilla extract until just combined.

3.In a separate bowl, whisk together the flour and salt. Gradually add the dry ingredients to the wet ingredients, mixing on low speed until a soft dough forms. Do not overmix.

4.Press about two-thirds (2/3) of the dough evenly into the bottom of the prepared baking pan to form the crust. Reserve the remaining one-third (1/3) of the dough for the crumble topping.

5.Prepare the berry filling: In a medium bowl, gently toss the blueberries, strawberries, 1/4 cup sugar, cornstarch, and orange juice until the berries are lightly coated.

6.Spread the berry filling evenly over the shortbread crust.

7.Create the crumble topping: Take the reserved dough and use your fingertips or a pastry blender to break it into coarse, pea-sized crumbs. Sprinkle these crumbs evenly over the berry layer.

8.Bake for 40 to 45 minutes, or until the topping is golden brown and the filling is bubbly.

9.Remove the pan from the oven and let the bars cool completely in the pan on a wire rack (at least 2 hours) before lifting them out using the parchment overhang and cutting into squares.