Toasted sliced almonds add a streusel-like crunch to the tops of these Southern bramble-meets-orchard bars.
Ingredients
1 cup butter, softened
1 cup firmly packed light brown sugar
1 1/2 cups granulated sugar, divided
4 large eggs
1 tbsp vanilla extract
1 tsp baking powder
3/4 tsp table salt
3 1/4 cups all-purpose flour, divided
Shortening
3 (6-ounce) packages fresh blackberries (about 4 cups)
4 cups peeled and sliced fresh firm, ripe peaches
3 tbsp bourbon
1 cup sliced almonds
Directions
1. Preheat oven to 350°F. Beat first 2 ingredients and 1 cup granulated sugar at medium speed with an electric mixer until creamy. Add eggs, 1 at a time, beating just until blended after each addition. Stir in vanilla.
2. Combine baking powder, salt, and 3 cups flour in a medium bowl; gradually add flour mixture to butter mixture, beating just until blended. Spread three-fourths of batter in a greased (with shortening) and floured 13- x 9-inch pan; sprinkle with blackberries.
3. Combine remaining 1/2 cup granulated sugar and 1/4 cup flour in a medium bowl; add peaches and bourbon, stirring to coat. Spoon mixture over blackberries. Dollop remaining one-fourth batter over peach mixture; sprinkle with almonds.
4. Bake at 350°F for 1 hour or until golden brown and bubbly. Cool completely in pan on a wire rack (about 1 hour). Cut into bars.
From The Southern Cookie Book, © 2016, by the Editors of Southern Living. Used by permission of Oxmoor House.
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