Afternoon Tea Bars With Jam

Depends on what I have on hand for the extract, nut and jam combinations (I use Knott's Berry Farms Jams) ie: strawberry jam with walnut lemon crust. Your choice of any combination. I also use two different jams to make it particularly festive with lightly toasted tinted coconut. Play with your favourites and enjoy. Prep time includes toasting the nuts and coconut.

• Ready In: 50 mins
• Yields: 30 bars

Ingredients

• Crust

• 3⁄4 cup butter, room temp
• 1 1⁄2 cups powdered sugar
• 2  large  egg whites, room temp
• 3⁄4 teaspoon  extract (vanilla, lemon, almond etc, your choice)
• 2 1⁄4 cups all-purpose flour, sifted with the following salt and soda
• 1⁄8 salt
• 1⁄2 teaspoon baking soda
• 1⁄4 cup  toasted  nuts, chopped finely then measured (walnuts, almonds, pecans, black walnuts etc, your choice)
• 3⁄4 cup  jam (your choice)

• Topping

• 1⁄2 cup  jam (your choice)
• 1⁄2 cup sweetened coconut, toasted

Directions

1. Heat oven to 350°.
2. Using the butter wrapper, grease a 13 x 9 x 2 baking pan and set aside.
3. Using an electric mixer at medium speed, beat butter, powdered sugar and egg whites.
4. On low speed of mixer, blend in extract and sifted flour mixture.
5. Lightly hand mix the toasted nuts into dough.
6. Spread dough evenly into prepared pan.
7. Score the dough at least 1/2 way through with a knife or tines of a fork, straight across or in a swirly type pattern.
8. Spread the 3/4 cup of jam on dough so it also fills the scores.
9. Bake for 20- 25 minutes or until edges brown and top is firm - ovens vary.
10. Cool the pan on a wire rack.
11. When the dough is cool, spread the 1/2 Cup jam evenly on top, sprinkle with the 1/2 Cup toasted coconut.
12. Cut into bars.