Saints Preserve Us - Cherry and Almond Bars

From the kitchen of One Perfect Bite..."Summer time and the livin' is easy"...We were house sitting this past weekend and before we left for the cottage, I made cookies and some pastry to take with us. I also put together a couple of casseroles that could simply be reheated once we took up residence. The kitchen in this house is nearly impossible to work in, so I like to bring food of the heat and eat variety when we head that way. Meals this weekend were decidedly simple and the desserts that we brought with us were extremely easy to prepare. These cookie bars are a study in old-fashioned goodness. They are definitely not meant for company, but your family and friends will love them. You will too. They are effortless to make, and they invite creative substitution of ingredients. You can swap the type of nuts and preserves you use, and chances are you'll end up with a bar that keeps your crew coming back for more. While I suspect they will disappear before they stale, these cookies are great keepers. I do hope you'll give this recipe a try. Here is how the cookies are made.


Cherry and Almond Bars...from the kitchen of One Perfect Bite inspired by Martha Stewart

Ingredients:
1/2 cup unsalted butter, room temp, plus more for baking dish
1 1/2 cups all-purpose flour
1/2 teaspoon ground cinnamon
1/4 teaspoon salt
1/4 teaspoon baking powder
1/2 cup packed light-brown sugar
1/4 cup granulated sugar
1 large egg yolk
3/4 cup sliced almonds
3/4 cup fruit preserves (cherry, plum, peach etc.)

Directions:
1)Preheat oven to 350 degrees. Butter an 8-inch square baking dish.
2) In a bowl, whisk together flour, cinnamon, salt, and baking powder.
3) In a mixing bowl, cream butter and sugars on high speed until light and fluffy; beat in egg yolk. Reduce speed to low; gradually mix in flour mixture. Stir in almonds.
4) In a small bowl, whisk preserves to loosen. (Stirring enables preserves to spread more smoothly over dough).
5) Gently press half of dough into bottom of prepared dish. With the back of a spoon, gently spread jam over dough, leaving a 1/4-inch border so the jam doesn't stick to the sides of the pan. Sprinkle remaining dough over top all the way to the edges; press gently to form top layer.
6) Bake until top is golden, 25 to 35 minutes; cool completely in dish. Cut into bars with a serrated knife. Yield: 12 bars.

                    

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