By GRETCHEN McKAY

Pittsburgh Post-Gazette

I picked a ton of blueberries last summer as a tonic for the coronavirus, and much of it ended up in my freezer.

Whether they’re still worth eating is debatable — some say you have to use berries within three months — but I think they still taste good.

To use up the last of them, I decided to make my mother a berry dessert.

She has a sweet tooth, along with a love of buttery crusts, so I decided on mixed fruit crumble bars. Unlike a pie, a crumble’s ingredients don’t have to be rolled out, but are simply mixed together in a bowl until they’re — you guessed it — crumbly, and patted into a pan.

More of the crumble mixture is then sprinkled on top for a buttery, crispy finish. It doesn’t get much easier.

I used a combination of blueberries and strawberries, and will make another with the 25-pound box of peaches (!) I ordered. If you don’t like almonds, substitute pecans or walnuts or leave the nuts out. You also can add a dash of cinnamon.

It helps tremendously to line the baking pan with parchment so you can lift the entire lot out in one fell swoop. But buttering and flouring the pan works, too. However you do it, be sure to let the crumble cool to room temperature before cutting it into squares or they may fall apart.

While considered a dessert, crumble makes a quick and easy breakfast with just the right amount of a sugar rush to start your day. Leftovers can be frozen in a well-sealed airtight container for about two months.

Heat oven to 375 F. Line a 9x13-inch baking pan with foil or parchment paper, or prepare it with butter and a dusting of flour.

Prepare crust/topping: On low speed, combine 1 cup sugar, baking powder, flour and salt in the bowl of a stand mixer outfitted with a paddle. Add the zest of one lemon, butter cubes, egg and vanilla or almond extract. Beat on low speed until the butter is evenly distributed in pea-sized pieces and the mixture is crumbly. (It should come together when pressed between your fingers.)

Dump about 2/3 of the mixture into the bottom of the prepared pan. Use your fingers or the bottom of a glass to evenly press the dough into the pan, making sure to fill the corners. Set aside while you prepare the filling.

In a large bowl, gently stir together berries, cornstarch, remaining 1/2 cup sugar, the remaining zest and juice of the second lemon until well-incorporated. Spread the filling over the crust, then sprinkle the remaining dough mixture over the top of the berries. Sprinkle toasted almonds evenly on top.

Bake for 45 to 50 minutes, until the top is light golden brown and fruit looks jammy. Transfer pan to a rack to cool completely before cutting into squares.

Makes 16 to 20 squares.

SOURCE: Gretchen McKay