Apricot Almond Shortbread Bars

Total Time: 1 hr 25 mins Preparation Time: 40 mins Cook Time: 45 mins

Ingredients

• 1 1/2 cups butter, softened
• 2 cups sugar
• 2 large egg yolks
• 1/2 teaspoon vanilla extract
• 1/4 teaspoon almond extract
• 4 cups all-purpose flour
• 1 1/3 cups blanched almonds, toasted and chopped fine (to toast almonds, bake in preheated 350 oven 10 minutes, cool.)
• 1 (10 ounce) jar apricot preserves

Recipe

• 1 preheat oven to 350°.
• 2 beat butter and sugar in mixer bowl until fluffy.
• 3 beat in egg yolks and vanilla and almond extracts.
• 4 mix in flour and toasted almonds until the mixture forms a soft dough.
• 5 divide dough in half.
• 6 press one half into 15x10-inch jellyroll pan.
• 7 spread evenly with preserves.
• 8 cover completely with remaining dough (flatten pieces with hands and carefully patch on top of preserve layer).
• 9 bake 45 minutes, or until golden brown.
• 10 cut into 3x1-inch bars.
• 11 can be made ahead.
• 12 wrap and freeze up to 1 month.
• 13 thaw wrapped at room temperature.