Lemon Blackberry Bar

I know, I know...we are up to our 'eyeballs' in blackberries...but there is something about that 'hard to get' berry that makes it all so worthwhile when we enjoy its plump juiciness in home baking. Okay, besides canning 20 jars of it for jam this weekend...I just HAD to use up some of the fresh ones I picked today (can't stop). This lemon bar I found at Cookie Madness but I changed it up a little to suit my needs. I used blackberries instead of blueberries (I will try giving that a whirl next time) and used Splenda Brown Sugar Blend for Baking instead of the brown sugar noted in the recipe. I also used 3 medium yokes instead of the large eggs. I also used regular oats as I am not a 'quick oat' lady. Okay...here it goes. By the way...it was sooooo worth the wee fuss to make and the lemon creme filling is to 'die' for!

Ingredients

• 3/4 cups all-purpose flour
• 1/2 cup brown sugar (measure for measure Splenda Brown Sugar Blend)
• 1/2 cup granulated sugar
• 1 teaspoon salt
• 1/2 teaspoon baking soda
• 12 tablespoons unsalted butter, cut into small pieces
• 1 1/2 cups oats (quick cooking)
• 2 large egg yolks
• 1 can 14-oz can sweetened condensed milk
• 1/2 cup fresh lemon juice
• 2 tsp lemon zest
• 2 cups fresh blueberries (remember I used blackberries)
• 1/2 cup chopped pecans (optional- don't make it optional unless you have to...so good!)

Preheat oven 350 degrees. Grease a 9×13 inch metal baking pan. (Line with foil or parchment if desired)

Combine the flour, both sugars, salt and baking soda in bowl of a food processor and pulse to mix. Add butter and pulse until mixture is coarse and crumbly. Add oats and pulse to mix.

Press about 2/3 of the crumb mixture into the pan and set remainder aside. Bake crust for 12 minutes. Meanwhile, prepare filling.

Whisk the condensed milk, lemon juice, lemon zest and egg yolks together in a medium bowl and let stand for 5 minutes.

Arrange blueberries evenly over the crust; pour lemon mixture over the blueberries. Spread gently with a spatula to distribute as evenly as possible. Bake until the lemon mixture just begins to form a shiny skin; 7 to 8 minutes.

Sprinkle reserved topping over the lemon layer, then sprinkle pecans over topping. Bake for 25 minutes.

Let the bars cool in the pan on a rack until just warm, about an hour. When cool, transfer to refrigerator to chill for at least 2 hours. The longer the chill time, the better they’ll be. TRUST ME on this....I know you will be tempted to try them sooner...they are SOOOO good. But wait until it cools nicely.

Cut into about 24 bars