Strawberry-Rhubarb and Cream Bars

This bar is a wonderful combination of sweet strawberries and tart rhubarb, paired with a smooth, creamy filling and a shortbread crust. For an absolutely fabulous seasonal recipe, this is the way to go!

Original recipe makes 1 9×13-inch dish

Ingredients

2 cups all-purpose flour
1 cup chopped pecans
1 cup butter, melted
1/4 cup white sugar

1 cup packed brown sugar
3 tablespoons corn syrup
3 tablespoons cornstarch
5 cups chopped rhubarb
1 cup sliced fresh strawberries
1 (8 ounce) package cream cheese, softened
1 cup confectioners’ sugar
1 1/4 cups heavy whipping cream
2 tablespoons brown sugar

PREP

30 mins
COOK

25 mins
READY IN

5 hrs 25 mins

Directions

Preheat oven to 350 degrees F (175 degrees C). Grease a 9×13-inch baking pan. Chill a metal bowl in refrigerator.
Mix flour, pecans, butter, and white sugar in a bowl and press the mixture into the bottom of the prepared baking pan.
Bake the crust in the preheated oven until golden brown, 18 to 20 minutes; cool in pan on wire rack.
Mix 1 cup brown sugar, corn syrup, and cornstarch in a saucepan; stir in rhubarb. Bring the rhubarb mixture to a boil; reduce heat and cook, stirring often, until thickened, 4 to 5 minutes. Let the filling cool and stir in strawberries.
Beat cream cheese with confectioners’ sugar in a bowl until smooth.
Pour heavy cream into chilled metal bowl and whip with an electric mixer until fluffy and the cream holds soft peaks, about 3 minutes. Fold 1 cup of the whipped cream into the cream cheese mixture; reserve remaining whipped cream.
Spread the cream cheese mixture over the cooled crust and top with the rhubarb mixture; spoon the remaining whipped cream over rhubarb layer. Refrigerate until set and thoroughly chilled, 3 to 4 hours; sprinkle with 2 tablespoons brown sugar.