Apricot Frangipane Bars

Apricot Frangipane Bars

The tart apricot filling is just the right complement to the sweet almond topping in these elegant but easy bar cookies.

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

Make 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.

Make Crust: Meanwhile, 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 15 to 17 minutes or until golden brown. Cool on wire rack.

Make 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.

4. 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.

Makes 50.

Make-Ahead Tip: The bars can be baked ahead. Wrap well and freeze up to 3 months.

Gooey Turtle Bars

Gooey Turtle Bars

2 cups graham cracker crumbs
1/2 cup butter or margarine, melted
2 cups semisweet chocolate chips
1 cup pecan pieces
1 (12 ounce) jar caramel topping

Combine crumbs and butter or margarine in an ungreased 13 x 9-inch pan; stir and press firmly into bottom of pan. Sprinkle with chocolate chips and pecans. Remove lid from caramel topping; microwave for 1 to 1 1/2 minutes or until hot, stirring after 30 seconds. Drizzle over pecans. Bake at 350 degrees F for 15 minutes or until morsels melt; let cool in pan on a wire rack. Chill at least 30 minutes; cut into bars.

Venetians

Venetians

1 (8 ounce) can almond paste
1 1/2 cups butter, softened
1 cup granulated sugar
4 eggs, separated
1 teaspoon almond extract
2 cups all-purpose flour, sifted
1/4 teaspoon salt
10 drops green food coloring
8 drops red food coloring
1 (12 ounce) jar apricot preserves
2 squares semisweet chocolate

Preheat oven to 350 degrees F. Grease three 13 x 9-inch baking pans; line with wax paper, grease again.

Break up almond paste in a large bowl with a fork. Add butter, sugar, egg yolks and almond extract. Beat with electric mixer until light and fluffy, about 5 minutes. Beat in flour and salt. Beat egg whites until stiff peaks form. With a wooden spoon, fold into almond mixture, blending well.

Remove 1 1/2 cups batter and spread evenly into a prepared pan. Remove another 1 1/2 cups batter and add the green food coloring. Spread evenly into second prepared pan. Add red food coloring to remaining 1 1/2 cups batter and spread in third pan. Bake for 15 minutes or just until edges are golden brown. (Cakes will be 1/4 -inch thick). Remove cakes from pans immediately onto large wire racks. Cool thoroughly.

Place green layer on jellyroll pan. Heat apricot preserves; strain. Spread 1/2 of the warm preserves over green layer to edges. Slide yellow layer on top. Spread with remaining apricot preserves. Slide pink layer, right side up, onto yellow layer. Cover with plastic wrap. Weight down with large wooden cutting board or heavy plate and place in refrigerator overnight.

Melt chocolate over hot water in a small cup. Spread to edges of cake; let dry 30 minutes. (Using too much chocolate will cause the tops of the cookies to crack when cut.) Trim edges off cake and cut into 1-inch squares.

Tennessee Clay

Tennessee Clay

1 (1 pound) box light brown sugar
4 extra large egg whites
1 tablespoon vanilla extract
1 tablespoon maple flavoring
1 rounded tablespoon baking powder
1 1/2 cups coarsely chopped pecans
1 (10 ounce) package butterscotch morsels
1/3 cup wheat bran, optional
1/3 cup butter, melted
1 1/4 cups all-purpose flour
1 1/4 cups whole wheat flour

Stir together brown sugar, egg whites, vanilla extract, maple flavoring and baking powder until smooth. Stir in pecans, butterscotch morsels and wheat bran. Add melted butter. Stir flours into mixture and mix well.

Grease two nonstick cookie sheets with butter.

Spread mixture evenly on cookie sheets, leaving about 1 1/2 to 2 inches to edge all the way around to allow for expansion. Cookie will puff up, then fall.

Bake for 11 minutes at 325 degrees F. Do not let the cookies brown. Cool, then transfer to cutting board and cut into squares.

Butter Tart Squares

Butter Tart Squares

1 cup all-purpose flour
1/4 cup granulated sugar
1/2 cup butter or margarine
2 eggs, lightly beaten
1 cup packed brown sugar
2 tablespoons all-purpose flour
1/2 teaspoon baking powder
1/2 teaspoon vanilla extract
Pinch of salt
1 cup raisins
1/2 cup chopped pecans (optional)

Combine 1 cup flour and sugar. Cut in the butter until the mixture resembles coarse meal. Press into an ungreased 9-inch square pan. Bake at 350 degrees F for 15 minutes.

Beat together eggs, brown sugar, 2 tablespoons flour, baking powder, vanilla extract and salt. Stir in raisins and nuts. Pour this mixture over the base. Bake at 350 degrees F for 25 minutes or until the filling is almost firm. Let cool and cut into small squares.

Yield: about 36

Pineapple Coconut Bars

Pineapple Coconut Bars

Filling
3 cups crushed pineapple, undrained
1 1/2 cups granulated sugar
3 tablespoons all-purpose flour
3 eggs, unbeaten

Combine crushed pineapple with sugar and flour. Cook until thickened. Add a small portion to beaten eggs, then stir back into pineapple filling mixture. Continue cooking 5 minutes longer. Cool.

Crust
3 cups sifted all-purpose flour
1 1/2 teaspoons baking powder
1 teaspoon salt
1 1/2 cups brown sugar
1 1/2 cups butter or margarine, melted

Combine ingredients. Press into a jellyroll pan. Bake at 375 degrees F for 10 minutes.

Topping
2 eggs, beaten
1 cup granulated sugar
1 1/2 cups flaked coconut
1/2 cup butter or margarine, melted

Combine ingredients with a beater. Pour over pineapple filling and spread evenly. Bake at 350 degrees F for 25 minutes. Cool before cutting.