Prep: Cut two pieces of parchment paper, about 8 by 15 inches, to create a sling for an 8-inch baking pan. Place them in the pan so they run perpendicular to each other. Set aside.
Make the shortbread dough: Cream the butter with sugar, zest and vanilla until light and fluffy, about 3 minutes.
226 grams unsalted butter, 150 grams powdered sugar, 2 teaspoon vanilla extract, zest from 1 lemon
Add the sourdough discard and mix until well combined. Fold in the dry ingredients until a cohesive dough is forms.
56 grams sourdough discard, 300 grams all-purpose flour, 22 grams cornstarch, ½ teaspoon salt
Chill the dough: Press ¾ of the dough into the bottom of the prepared pan, making sure to press it into the corners.
Wrap the remaining dough in a piece of plastic wrap. Refrigerate the pan and the remaining portion of dough (used for the topping) for at least 30 minutes.
Prep: Preheat the oven to 350 F.
Make the filling: While the dough chills, combine the filling ingredients in a small saucepan and stir. Cook over high heat until the blueberries begin to break down. Once the mixture boils, turn the heat down to medium and cook until the filling has thickened, about 15 minutes. Stir often to prevent the filling from burning.
226 grams fresh blueberries, 100 grams granulated sugar, 8 grams cornstarch, 14 grams lemon juice
Assemble the bars: Spread the warm blueberry filling evenly over the shortbread dough, making sure to get the filling into the corners.
Break the remaining portion of shortbread dough over the filling, leaving a few spots where the blueberry filling still peaks through.
Bake: Bake the bars for 40 to 45 minutes or until the shortbread topping looks lightly browned.
Allow the bars to cool completely, dust with powdered sugar and slice it into a 6 by 4 grid, you should end up with 24 rectangles.
Powdered sugar
Store any leftover bars in an airtight container at room temperature for up to 5 days.