Posted by Chyrel at recipegoldmine.com 1/27/2002 10:38 am

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.

? 2003 General Mills All Rights Reserved

Recipe and photograph courtesy of General Mills (Pillsbury) – used with permission.

The ultimate in butter-rich pastry boasts a puffy ground almond filling.

Crust
1 1/2 cups Gold Medal? All-Purpose Flour
1/4 cup granulated sugar
1/2 cup margarine or butter
4 to 5 tablespoons cold water

Filling
3 tablespoons seedless raspberry jam
1 cup whole blanched almonds
1/4 cup margarine or butter
1/2 cup granulated sugar
1 tablespoon Gold Medal? All-Purpose Flour
1 egg
1 teaspoon almond extract
1 (15.5 ounce) can sliced pears

Heat oven to 400 degrees F.

Lightly spoon flour into measuring cup; level off.

In large bowl, combine 1 1/2 cups flour and 1/4 cup sugar; mix well.

With pastry blender or fork, cut in 1/2 cup margarine until mixture resembles coarse crumbs. Gradually add water to flour mixture until dough forms a ball. Knead 2 or 3 times until smooth. Flatten ball slightly. Press dough in bottom and up sides of ungreased 10-inch tart pan with removable bottom. Spread jam evenly over crust.

Place almonds in food processor bowl with metal blade or blender container; process until finely chopped. Add 1/4 cup margarine, 1/2 cup sugar and 1 tablespoon flour; process until blended. Add egg and extract; mix well.

Drain pears, reserving 1/4 cup liquid. Add reserved liquid to almond mixture; blend until smooth. Spread evenly in crust. Arrange pear slices over filling.

Bake at 400 degrees F for 35 to 45 minutes or until crust is lightly browned and top is deep golden brown. Cool 1 1/2 hours or until completely cooled.

Nutrition information per serving; serving size: 1/12 of Recipe – Calories 320 Calories from Fat 150

% Daily value: Total Fat 17 g 26 % Saturated 3 g 15 % Cholesterol 20 mg 7 % Sodium 130 mg 5 % Total Carbohydrate 36 g 12 % Dietary Fiber 2 g 8 % Sugars 20 g Protein 5 g Vitamin A 10 % Vitamin C 0 % Calcium 4 % Iron 8 %

Dietary exchanges: 1 1/2 Starch, 1 Fruit, 3 Fat OR 2 1/2 Carbohydrate, 3 Fat

Sugar Cookie Dough
2/3 pound butter
2 2/3 cups granulated sugar
5 eggs
2 1/2 teaspoons vanilla extract
6 2/3 cups all-purpose flour
2 1/2 teaspoons baking powder

Almond Cream
1/2 pound butter
1/2 pound granulated sugar
13 1/2 ounces almond paste
4 large eggs
2 ounces all-purpose flour
2 teaspoons salt

Fruit
Sliced fruit of your choice

Sugar Cookie Dough: Cream butter and sugar until creamy. Beat in eggs and vanilla extract.

In a separate bowl, mix flour, salt, baking powder and gradually add to creamed mixture. Refrigerate for two hours. Roll out to 1/8-inch thickness and cover tart pan.

Almond Cream: Cream butter and sugar. Add almond paste and cream again. Add eggs. Add flour and mix until incorporated into mixture. Fill the tart shell with almond cream filling to the top of pan. Bake for 25 minutes at 350 degrees. Make sure top is brown and cake is firm.

Cool and top with fresh fruit such as mango, kiwi, raspberries and strawberries.

Source: Woman’s World magazine – Nov. 25, 1997

Crust
1 1/4 cups all-purpose flour
1/2 teaspoon salt
1/4 cup chilled butter or margarine, diced
2 tablespoons vegetable shortening
4 to 5 tablespoons ice water

In a bowl, combine flour and salt. With pastry blender or 2 knives, cut in butter and shortening until mixture resembles coarse crumbs. Stir in ice water, 1 tablespoon at a time, until dough starts to form. Shape into disk; wrap and refrigerate at least 30 minutes or up to 2 days before using. Meanwhile, make Topping.

On lightly floured surface roll out dough into an 11-inch circle. Transfer to a 9-inch round tart pan with removable bottom; press into bottom and sides. Press excess dough against insides of pan. Freeze until firm, about 15 minutes. Meanwhile, make Frangipane.

Apricot Topping
1 pound dried apricots (about 2 1/2 cups)
3/4 cup granulated sugar
2 tablespoons lemon juice
1 1/4 cups water
1 teaspoon vanilla extract

In pot over medium heat, combine apricots, sugar, juice and water. Bring to boil. Reduce heat to low; simmer until apricots are very plump and liquid is thick, syrupy and golden, about 30 minutes.

Remove from heat. Stir in vanilla extract. Cool completely.

Frangipane
1/3 cup butter (at room temperature)
1/3 cup granulated sugar
1/3 cup packed almond paste
1 egg
1 teaspoon vanilla extract
1/2 cup all-purpose flour

In mixer at high speed, beat butter, sugar and almond paste until smooth. Reduce speed to low; beat in egg and vanilla extract until combined. Beat in flour until just combined.

To assemble, spread frangipane over bottom of dough; arrange apricots with their syrup over. Bake for 35 to 40 minutes or until pastry is golden and apricots have begun to brown. Remove sides of tart pan immediately; let cool on rack. Meanwhile, prepare the Glaze.

Glaze
1/3 cup apricot preserves
2 tablespoons amaretto or water

In a small pot, combine preserves and amaretto. Over medium-high heat cook until preserves dissolve, 2 to 3 minutes. Strain; brush over tart. (If making ahead, freeze unbaked tart until solid, about 3 hours; wrap in plastic and foil. Store in freezer for up to 6 weeks. Bake, unthawed, 55 minutes.)

Makes 8 servings.

Per serving: 387 cal; 5 g protein; 13 g fat; 42 mg chol; 65 g carb; 174 mg sodium

Pastry
1 1/2 cups all-purpose flour
3 tablespoons granulated sugar
2 teaspoons grated lemon zest
1/2 teaspoon salt
1/2 cup unsalted butter
1 egg, lightly beaten

Cut butter into 8 pieces. In food processor, blend flour, sugar, lemon zest, salt and butter until the consistency of meal. Pour into a bowl. With a fork blend in egg until all dough is moistened and starts to hold together. On floured surface, knead dough lightly with fingertips until it forms a ball. Add a sprinkling of water, if necessary. Wrap dough in plastic wrap and refrigerate 1 hour or overnight. Roll out chilled dough between 2 pieces of floured wax paper. Fit into a 9-inch tart pan. Trim dough even with edge. Refrigerate until ready to bake.

Frangipani Filling
1/2 cup unsalted butter, softened
1 (8 ounce) can almond paste, kneaded until soft
2 eggs, beaten
1 teaspoon grated lemon zest
1/2 teaspoon almond extract
1 tablespoon all-purpose flour

Cream butter in food processor or blender. Add almond paste in small pieces alternately with beaten eggs. Process until smooth, scraping sides often. Add zest, almond extract, and flour. Process until blended. Preheat oven to 350 degrees F. Set tart pan on baking sheet. Spread Frangipani Filling in bottom pastry shell. Bake for 50 minutes until filling is golden and set. Cool on rack.

Glazed Lemon Slices
2 lemons, thinly sliced and seeded
Sliced almonds (for garnish)
1 cup granulated sugar

Layer lemon slices in medium saucepan. Add enough water to cover. Bring to boiling. Reduce heat; boil gently until lemon rinds are tender, 25 to 30 minutes. Remove lemon slices with slotted spoon. drain on paper towels. Reserve 1 cup cooking liquid in pan. Gradually add 1 cup sugar, stirring over medium low heat until sugar dissolves. Bring to rapid boil. Boil until mixture becomes a thick syrup. A small spoonful of syrup should hold its shape when dropped onto a cold saucer. Remove syrup from heat.

To serve, arrange lemon slices in circles on top of tart. Glaze with some of the hot lemon syrup. Garnish with violets and sliced almonds. Surround the tart with lemon geranium leaves.

Serves 8.

From the kitchen of Richard and Jeannine Dorsey – Scottsdale, Arizona, by way of Bon Appetit magazine – February 1999

Crust
1 cup all-purpose flour
1 tablespoon granulated sugar
1/4 teaspoon salt
6 tablespoons (3/4 stick) chilled unsalted butter,
    cut into small pieces
3 tablespoons (or more) ice water

Mix flour, sugar and salt in food processor. Add butter; cut in using on/off turns until coarse crumbs form. Add water. Process until small moist clumps form, adding more water by teaspoonsful if dry. Gather dough into ball; flatten into disk. Wrap dough in plastic. Chill until cold, about 1 hour.

Roll out dough between 2 sheets of plastic wrap to an 11-inch round. Remove top sheet of plastic. Using bottom sheet of plastic as an aid, invert dough into a 9-inch diameter tart pan. Remove plastic. Fold overhanging dough in; press to form high standing, double-thick sides. Pierce dough all over with a fork. Freeze 30 minutes. (Can be prepared 1 day ahead. Cover dough and keep frozen.)

Preheat oven to 400 degrees F. Bake crust until golden, about 25 minutes. Cool on rack. Maintain oven temperature.

Filling
1/4 cup (1/2 stick) unsalted butter, at
    room temperature
4 ounces almond paste, crumbled
1 large egg
1/3 cup all-purpose flour
2 medium Golden Delicious apples, peeled,
    quartered, cored, and sliced 1/8-inch thick
1/2 tablespoon granulated sugar
1 tablespoon warm honey

Combine butter and almond paste in food processor and blend until smooth. Add egg and process until well blended. Add flour and process just until blended. Spread filling evenly over bottom of crust. Toss apples with sugar in large bowl. Arrange apples in concentric circles atop filling. Brush apples with melted butter.

Place tart on baking sheet. Bake until apples are tender and light golden, about 40 minutes. Transfer to rack; cool for 15 minutes. Brush apples with honey.

Serve warm or at room temperature.