Blackberry Squares

I use my homemade blackberry preserve for this, since we’ve got lots of blackberries around here.

Crust:

1 cup all purpose or whole wheat flour

1/3 cup powdered sugar

½ cup (1 stick) butter or margarine

Cooking spray

1 cup oatmeal

1 ½ cups whole wheat flour

¾ cup (1 ½ sticks) chilled butter, diced

1 cup brown sugar

1 tsp ground ginger

1 ½ cups blackberry preserve

Preheat oven to 350F. In a large bowl combine 1 cup flour, 1/3 cup powdered sugar and butter with pastry blender or paddle attachment of mixer until mixture is crumbly.  Press firmly into the bottom of an 11 X 7 baking dish coated with cooking spray. Bake for 20 minutes until lightly browned. Put on a rack to cool for a few minutes.

Spread the blackberry preserve over the crust.

Whisk together the oats, flour, sugar, and ginger. Rub in the butter until the mixture resembles fine bread crumbs. Spread evenly over the blackberry layer and press down lightly. Return the baking dish to the oven and bake for 20 minutes until the crust is golden brown.