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Apricot Shortbread Bars

Apricot Shortbread Bars

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  • Author: Cosette's Kitchen
  • Prep Time: 30 minutes
  • Cook Time: 45 minutes
  • Total Time: 1 hour 15 minutes
  • Yield: 1 baking sheet 1x
  • Category: cookies
  • Method: baking
  • Cuisine: lebanese

Description

Simple wholesome ingredients create these snack bars.


Ingredients

Units Scale

Apricot Jam

  • 1.5 pounds fresh apricots, sliced and skin on
  • 2 cups sugar
  • 1 tsp orange blossom water*
  • 1/8 cup fresh lemon juice
  • 1 tsp corn starch + splash of water

Shortbread Cookie

  • 1 pound + 4 tbsp unsalted butter (515 grams or 4.5 sticks), softened
  • 1.5 cups powdered sugar
  • 2 eggs, whisked
  • 1 tsp kosher salt
  • 8 cups all-purpose flour - 1000 grams (spooned and leveled)
  • 1/2 tsp baking powder

Instructions

Apricot Jam

  1. In a large pot, add your sliced apricots, sugar, orange blossom water and lemon juice together.
  2. Allow mixture to come to a boil, use a potato masher to break up the apricot pieces while cooking.
  3. After mixture comes to a boil, lower to a medium-low heat and cook for about 20 minutes continuing to break up the apricot pieces.
  4. In a small bowl add your corn starch and a splash of water to create a slurry, add to mixture. Continue cooking for another 20-25 minutes until jam is thick.
  5. Remove from heat and let cool, you can also refrigerate at this time and use later.

Shortbread Cookies:

  1. Preheat oven to 350 degrees.
  2. In the bowl of a stand mixer with paddle attachment, add your butter and powdered sugar to create a creamy mixture.
  3. Next add your eggs and continue to blend, scraping down sides as needed.
  4. Finally add in your dry ingredients; flour, salt and baking powder until blend until a cohesive dough forms.
  5. Divide your dough in two, wrap one half in plastic wrap and refrigerate while you prepare your tray.

Assemble:

  1. In a half sheet pan (12x17) press half of your dough into an even layer. I like to use a smooth drinking glass and roll across to flatten and even out. Finally, press sides to edge to create a crust.
    ** see photo below
  2. Next, spread your cooled apricot jam on the shortbread.
  3. Finally, using a cheese grater with the largest side, remove your refrigerated dough and grate on top of your apricot jam to create a sprinkle.
  4. Place in top 1/3 of oven and bake for 30-45 minutes at 350 degrees. You'll want to see the top begin to turn a hint of red and the bottom to be cooked through evenly.
  5. Remove from oven, let cool and dust with powdered sugar. Enjoy!

Notes

  • Feel free to sub vanilla for orange blossom water
  • You can make the full recipe and only bake half using a 1/4 sheet pan, the other half of the dough can be frozen
  • I like to cut my bars into small bite sized pieces, it yields a lot but are just the perfect size
[caption id="attachment_2819" align="alignleft" width="138"]Apricot Shortbread Bars Use a glass to smooth our your dough and create an even layer.[/caption]