Nectarine Blackberry Bars

CRUST :

• 1 stick plus 5 tablespoons unsalted butter, room temperature, plus more for pan 
• 1/4 cup blanched almonds 
• 1 3/4 cups unbleached all-purpose flour 
• 1/4 cup coarse cornmeal 
• 3/4 teaspoon kosher salt 
• 1 cup sugar

FILLING

• 12 ounces plums (about 6), preferably Italian prune, cut into a 1/2-inch dice (1 3/4 cups)
• 1 cup blackberries (4 ounces) 
• 2/3 cup sugar (or 1/2 cup, if plums are very sweet) 
• 3 tablespoons unbleached all-purpose flour 
• 1 teaspoon fresh lemon juice 
• 1/4 teaspoon freshly ground black pepper 
• 1/4 teaspoon kosher salt 
• 1 cup blackberries (4 ounces) 
• 2/3 cup sugar (or 1/2 cup, if plums are very sweet) 
• 3 tablespoons unbleached all-purpose flour 
• 1 teaspoon fresh lemon juice 
• 1/4 teaspoon freshly ground black pepper 
• 1/4 teaspoon kosher salt

Crust:
Preheat oven to 375 degrees. Butter an 8-by-8-by-2-inch cake pan. Line with parchment, leaving a 2-inch overhang on two sides; butter parchment. Spread almonds in a single layer on a baking sheet; toast until golden brown and fragrant, about 10 minutes. Let cool 15 minutes, then coarsely chop. Whisk together flour, cornmeal, and salt.

Beat butter with sugar on medium-high speed until light and fluffy, about 3 minutes. Scrape down bowl. Add flour mixture; beat until dough forms clumps but does not completely hold together. Press 3 cups of dough mixture into bottom and 1 inch up sides of prepared pan. Stir almonds into remaining dough mixture.

Filling: Stir together plums, blackberries, sugar, flour, lemon juice, pepper, and salt. Pour into crust. Crumble remaining crust mixture over top, squeezing to create clumps. Bake until bubbling in center and crust is golden, 1 hour to 1 hour, 10 minutes (if browning too quickly, tent with foil after about 50 minutes). Let cool 1 hour. Remove from pan and transfer to a wire rack; let cool completely, about 2 hours. Cut into squares.

Serves 16.

VERDICT:  The recipe suggested that nectarines would be a nice substitute for plums, and they were.  A rare egg-free baked good that is actually good, especially served with ice cream.  Keep.