Almond Bars

Bars
1 C (7 oz/198 g) granulated sugar
½ C (8 T/113 g) unsalted butter, room temp
1 large egg, room temperature
½ t almond extract
1 ¾ C (8 ¾ oz/249 g) all-purpose flour
2 t (8 g) baking powder
¼ t salt

Topping
1 T (15 ml) milk
½ C (1 ½ oz/43 g) sliced almonds

Icing
1 C (4 oz/113 g) powdered sugar
¼ t almond extract
1 to 2 T (15 to 30 ml) milk

Position rack in middle of oven and heat to 325° F (168° C). Line a 9 x 13-inch baking pan with two sheets of aluminum foil placing one perpendicular to the other leaving extra hanging over pan edges. The foil sling makes removing baked bars from pan easy.  Liberally spray foil with baking spray with flour.  Set aside.

Dough – In medium bowl, whisk together flour, baking powder and salt. In bowl of stand mixer fitted with paddle attachment on medium speed, cream together butter and sugar for 3 to 4 minutes. Add egg and almond extract and then mix until light and fluffy. Slowly add flour mixture to butter mixture. Mix until combined.

Press dough into bottom of prepared pan with fingers or back of spoon. Using pastry brush, lightly brush milk across top of dough. Sprinkle with almonds and very lightly press them into top of dough.

Bake for 18 to 20 minutes, or until just barely beginning to brown only around edges. The interior should not be brown or bars will be much more crunchy than desired, once cooled. The goal is a very soft shortbread texture.

Let cool in pan for 10 minutes before carefully removing them from pan with foil overhang. Cut into bars and place on wire rack to cool completely before icing.

Icing – Combine ingredients in small bowl adjusting consistency by adding more powdered sugar to thicken or milk to thin glaze. Place glaze in small plastic bag and cut off corner creating small hole to drizzle glaze over cooled bars.

Makes: 18 bars

30 Mar 17 – Lined pan with aluminum foil sling to ease removing after baking. I sprayed foil. Creaming butter & sugar took approx 3 ½ mins. Used back of plastic spoon to flatten dough. It worked well whereas the bottom of measuring cup did not. Baked in island oven for 20 minutes. Edges had just barely started to brown although the interior had NOT at all. Did rotate pan midway. Bars were too soft at 5 min cooling to remove from pan. Remove from pan at 10+ mins and cut. They were soft but did cut OK. Glaze came together as described. Used plastic squeeze bottle to apply. It worked well.

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