Apricot Frangipane Bars
The tart apricot filling is just the right complement to the sweet almond topping
in these elegant but easy bar cookies.
Ingredients
Apricot Filling
- 2 1/2 cups water
- 2 cups (12 ounce) dried apricots
- 3/4 cup granulated sugar
Crust
- 2 1/4 cups all-purpose flour
- 1/4 cup granulated sugar
- 1/8 teaspoon salt
- 1/2 cup cold butter (no substitutions), cut up
- 1/4 cup vegetable shortening
- 3 to 4 tablespoons ice water
Almond Topping
- 1 cup granulated sugar
- 1 (7 ounce) tube or 1 (8 ounce) can almond paste
- 3/4 cup butter (no substitutions), softened
- 4 large eggs
- 1/2 cup all-purpose flour
- 1 teaspoon vanilla extract
- 1/2 teaspoon almond extract
- 1/8 teaspoon salt
- Confectioners' sugar
Instructions
- Apricot Filling: Bring the 2 1/2 cups water, the apricots and the 3/4 cup
granulated sugar to boil in small saucepan. Reduce heat and simmer until tender,
about 20 minutes. Remove from heat and mash with fork until smooth. Cool completely.
- Crust: Heat oven to 400 degrees F.
- Combine the 2 1/4 cups flour, the 1/4 cup granulated sugar and 1/8 teaspoon
salt in medium bowl. With pastry blender or 2 knives, cut in the 1/2 cup butter
and the shortening until mixture resembles coarse crumbs. Sprinkle with ice
water 1 tablespoon at a time, tossing with fork until mixture is moist enough
to hold together. Roll pastry into 15 1/2 x 10-1/2-inch rectangle and place
pastry in same size jellyroll pan.
- Bake for 15 to 17 minutes or until golden brown.
- Cool on wire rack.
- Almond Topping: Beat the 1 cup granulated sugar, the almond paste and
the 3/4 cup butter in mixer bowl until light and fluffy. Add eggs one at a time,
beating well after each addition. Beat in the 1/2 cup flour, the vanilla extract,
almond extract and 1/8 teaspoon salt.
- Reduce oven temperature to 350 degrees F.
- Spread apricot filling evenly over baked crust. Top evenly with almond mixture.
Bake 30 to 35 minutes or until baked through. Cool completely in pan on wire
rack. Cut into 3 x 1-inch bars. Sprinkle with confectioners' sugar.
Yield: 50
Make-Ahead Tip: The bars can be baked ahead. Wrap well and freeze up to 3 months.
Posted by Chyrel at Recipe Goldmine 1/27/2002 10:38 am.
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