I LOVE shortbread. It's sweet and a little salty all at the same time. Slather it with raspberry jam and a crispy, crumbly topping and you've really got something!
Shortbread bars are a perfect little dessert to serve alongside tea or coffee after dinner. Not overly heavily, but a little something to curb your sweet tooth. It's also nice for casual get-together as guests can help themselves and eat with their hands.
If raspberries aren't exactly your cup of tea, not to worry! This recipe is ultimately versatile. Reach for your favorite jam and a bit of citrus. You could try blackberry and orange or strawberry and lemon. If you're going for more of a candy/cookie vibe, swap the jam for chocolate chips and caramel.
Raspberry Shortbread Bars
Ingredients
· 6 oz flour
· 2 1/3 oz sugar
· ¼ tsp salt
· 8 tbsp butter, softened & cubed
· 1 tsp vanilla
· ½ tsp almond extract
· 1 egg
· 2 tbsp brown sugar
· 2 tbsp slivered almonds, chopped
· 2 tbsp pecans, chopped
· ¼ cup rolled oats (not instant)
· ½ cup raspberry preserves
· ½ cup fresh raspberries
· 1 ½ tsp lemon juice
Preheat oven to 375F.
Line an 8x8in pan with parchment paper; leave a 2in overhang of parchment for easily lift bars from the pan. Lightly coat the parchment with non-stick spray.
Using a stand mixer fitted with a paddle attachment, mix together the flour, sugar, and salt. Add the butter one piece at a time. Blend on medium speed until the mixture resembles coarse crumbs. Add the vanilla and almond extracts and egg. Blend until the dough begins to clump together. Reserve about ½ cup of the dough in a separate bowl and set aside.
Sprinkle the remaining dough into the 8x8in pan. Press the dough firmly into an even layer using your fingers or the bottom of a greased juice glass. Prick the crust with a fork to keep the dough from rising. Bake for 20 minutes or until the edges are just barely brown.
While the crust is baking, add the brown sugar, nuts, and oats to the bowl with the reserved dough. Mix with your fingers – you want to ensure the mixture is clumpy but well distributed.
In a separate bowl, whisk together the raspberry preserves, raspberries, and lemon juice. Gently mash the fresh raspberries.
Spread the raspberry filling evenly over the crust and top with the crumble mixture. Return to the oven and bake for another 25 minutes until the crumb topping is golden brown. Let the bars cool completely in the pan for at least 2 hours. Lift the bars out of the pan and cut into 16 equal squares.
Makes 16 bars
Notes
This recipe is super easy to customize. I have a few other flavor combinations to try!
Blackberry Orange
Substitute the raspberry preserves for blackberry preserves. Omit the fresh raspberries. Substitute the lemon juice for orange juice. Add the zest of an orange.
Chocolate Caramel Pecan
Omit the preserves, fresh raspberries and lemon juice. Immediately after removing the crust from the oven, sprinkle over ½ cup of semi-sweet chocolate chips. Allow the chocolate to melt and spread evenly with a small palette knife. For the crumble, omit the almond, double the pecans, and add ¼ tsp cinnamon. After baked, cooled, and cut, drizzle a bit of your favorite thick caramel sauce over each bar.
Gluten Free Friendly!
Substitute the flour for a GF flour blend. I recommend Better Batter for a delightfully crumbly texture. Double check your ingredient labels on the nuts and oats to ensure they are manufactured in a GF facility.
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