Award Winning Almond Dessert Bars Food

ALMOND BARS

Steps:

• Preheat oven to 325 degrees F. Generously butter (or use baking spray) on a half sheet pan (approximatedly 18"x13"). Set aside.
• In a medium bowl, combine flour, baking powder, and salt. Set aside.
• In a mixing bowl, beat butter and sugar until light and fluffy, about 3-4 minutes. Add in eggs and almond extract. Beat until combined. Slowly add in flour mixture. Mixing until well blended.
• Press this dough into the bottom of your prepared baking dish. Use your fingers or a pastry roller to smooth the top of the dough.
• Using a pastry brush, brush the milk to the top of the dough (you may not need to use all of it). Sprinkle with sliced almonds, pressing them lightly into the dough.
• Bake for 20-22 minutes until done. You don't want to brown these bars.
• Cool for about 5 minutes, then cut them with a knife into bars. If they are too soft to cut, allow to cool a little bit more. Carefully remove them to a wire rack to continue cooling.
• Once cooled, you can make your glaze by whisking the sugar with the almond extract and milk. Drizzle over the bars and allow to set.
• Enjoy!

ELEGANT ALMOND BARS

Steps:

• Heat oven to 350°F. In large bowl, stir cookie base ingredients until soft dough forms. Spread in ungreased 13x9-inch pan. Bake 15 to 18 minutes or until light golden brown.
• Meanwhile, in large bowl, beat almond paste, sugar and 1/4 cup melted butter with electric mixer on low speed until blended. Add 2 eggs; beat until well blended (mixture may be slightly lumpy).
• Spread almond paste mixture over partially baked base. Sprinkle with 1/2 cup almonds. Bake 15 to 20 minutes longer or until filling is set (filling will puff up during baking). Cool completely, about 1 hour.
• In 1-quart heavy saucepan, melt white chocolate and shortening over low heat, stirring constantly, until smooth. Pour and spread over cooled bars. Sprinkle with 1/4 cup almonds. Let stand about 30 minutes or until topping is set. For bars, cut into 8 rows by 4 rows. Store covered at room temperature.

AWARD WINNING ALMOND DESSERT BARS

Steps:

• Preheat oven to 350F with rack on lower middle position. Grease a 9x13 pan and set aside.
• Make the Crust: In a large bowl, combine the butter and powdered sugar; using electric (or stand) mixer fitted with paddle attachment, mix together on medium high speed until light and fluffy, 3-4min. Gently add flour and mix on low speed just until combined. Mixture will be crumbly, so use hands to form a dough ball. Press evenly into prepared glass pan to form bottom crust (I use bottom of a flat glass cup to press down evenly.) Bake 18 minutes or until lightly browned and set. Remove from oven, but leave oven on.
• While the crust is baking, make Filling: In a large bowl, combine eggs, very-soft cream cheese, and sugar. Whisk together until creamy and no lumps remain (it really helps if your cream cheese is quite soft to start with.) Add almond extract and mix to combine. Evenly pour the filling over crust, using rubber spatula to scrape all filling. Bake 15-20 min or until set. Let dessert cool completely on wire rack.
• Frost the Bars: In a bowl, combine all frosting ingredients. Whisk until smooth and no more lumps. Evenly frost over cooled dessert bars (be sure bars have cooled completely before frosting.) Cover, chill, and serve with almond slices on top.

ALMOND BARS

Steps:

• In a large bowl, beat the eggs and sugar until lemon-colored. Beat in butter and extract; gradually stir in the four and mix well. Spread into a greased 13x9-in. baking pan. , Bake at 325° for 30-35 minutes or until a toothpick inserted in the center comes out clean. Cool on a wire rack. Sprinkle with confectioners' sugar.