Makes one 9"x13" pan
People get so excited over these bars it's almost embarrassing to admit how easy they are to make. You use one batter for both layers, and the filling is simply jam.
One large egg and one egg yolk will give you a crumbly dough that you can easily pat into the pan and sprinkle on top of the jam. Two large eggs make a softer dough that will give you clumps of topping and allow the jam to show through. I like both versions, but the softer dough is a little harder to work with. Experiment and see which you prefer.
You can also swap whole wheat flour for some of the all-purpose flour. I like raspberry jam the best, but whole wheat with apricot is very nice, too. If you can't find toasted sliced almonds, just toast raw ones in the oven for several minutes while it's heating up.
As always, I urge you to seek out organic and local ingredients.
You can also swap whole wheat flour for some of the all-purpose flour. I like raspberry jam the best, but whole wheat with apricot is very nice, too. If you can't find toasted sliced almonds, just toast raw ones in the oven for several minutes while it's heating up.
As always, I urge you to seek out organic and local ingredients.
1 cup (8 oz / 2 sticks) organic butter, room temperature
1 cup packed light brown sugar
1/2 cup granulated sugar
1 large egg and 1 egg yolk, or 2 large eggs (see note above)
1 teaspoon pure almond extract
3 cups organic all-purpose flour
1 teaspoon cinnamon
1 teaspoon salt
1/2 teaspoon baking powder (make sure it's fresh!)
1½ cups toasted sliced almonds
1½ cups organic raspberry (or other fruit) jam
Heat the oven to 350°. Grease a 9"x13" baking pan.
Place the butter and sugars in a large bowl, and use a hand held mixer on high speed to cream them until light and fluffy, about 2 minutes. Beat in the egg and egg yolk (or two eggs) and almond extract.
In a small bowl, combine the flour, cinnamon, salt, and baking powder. With the mixer on low speed, gradually add the flour mixture to the butter mixture, then mix or stir in the almonds.
Use your fingers to press half of the dough into the bottom of the baking pan. I use the bottom of a stainless steel 1 cup measure to evenly pat it out.
Put the jam in a small bowl and loosen it up with a small whisk or a fork (this will make it spread easier). Spread the jam evenly over the dough, leaving about a 1/4-inch border around the edges.
Sprinkle the remaining dough over the jam, all the way to the edges of the pan, and then press on it gently to form the top layer.
Bake until the top is golden and the edges are starting to brown, about 35 to 40 minutes. Cool completely in the pan, and then cut into whatever size bars you like and serve. The bars will keep for at least three or four days at room temperature, or you can freeze them. I wrap them individually in plastic, then toss them all in a zipper freezer bag.
Recipe source: FarmgirlFare.com
Recipe © FarmgirlFare.com
