Browned Butter Strawberry Guava Bars
Made with fresh strawberries and a delicious guava preserve from Costco.
These Browned Butter Strawberry Guava Bars are the perfect way to kick off those summer flavors. I know turning on your oven when its warm out is not always the most fun idea, but trust me, these are so simple and worth it!
Tips to Make These Bars The Best
When you are making these delicious dessert bars, there are a couple things to keep in mind while making them.
You will want to brown your butter before letting it cool for a few minutes before adding it into your dry ingredients. You want to keep a close eye on your butter when it is browning because it can EASILY burn.
Once you see your butter froth up and bubble, cut the heat and keep stirring. You will see brown flecks on the bottom of your sauce pot and smell a toasted, nutty aroma letting you know you’re done!
When you are pressing your dough crumble into the bottom of your baking dish, make sure to press it evenly onto the bottom of the dish. You don’t want uneven baked crust!
Also you need to gently press the rest of the dough on the top of your filling so everything is tucked cozily onto the filling. This will lock everything in and allow for a crumbly, crunchy and overall better top layer.
How To Make Your Dessert Bars
For the Crust and Crumble
1.5 cups flour
1/2 cup brown sugar
1 egg
1 stick browned unsalted butter
Pinch of salt 2 tsp vanilla extract
For the Filling
2 cups diced strawberries
Juice of half a lime
1 tablespoon sugar
1 tablespoon cornstarch
2-3 tablespoons of guava jam or preserves of your preference
1. Start by preheating your oven to 350 and take out an 8x8 baking dish. Line with parchment paper if using a metal dish, no need if you’re using ceramic like I did.
2. Combine your dry ingredients well before adding in your 1 stick of browned unsalted butter and egg. Mix until the dough is crumbly but sticks together.
3. Make your filling by combining your finely diced 2 cups of fresh strawberries, lime juice, sugar and cornstarch.
4. Press half your dough mixture into the bottom on your baking dish and then layer your 2-3 tablespoons of guava jam or preserves of your choosing on top.
5. Next, spoon over your strawberry filling and flatten evenly before topping with the rest of your crumbly dough mixture.
6. Press the topping gently down until packed in nice and snug. Bake at 350 for 35-40 minutes.
7. Allow to cool almost completely before slicing up and serving. Top with homemade whipped cream, ice cream or a simple icing drizzle if you want some extra sweetness!
How To Store Your Leftovers
Once your bars have completely cooled to room temp, cover them in an airtight container in the fridge for up to 3 days.
You will want to make sure you allow your bars to cool before slicing them and sticking them in a ziplock bag if you do not have glass storage containers.
When you are ready to eat your bars, remove from your fridge and enjoy cold, or heat up for 30 seconds in the microwave and then dig in!
