Cherry Almond Bars

A rich tasting bar filled with maraschino cherries and chopped almonds, topped with a cherry almond flavoured frosting. Source: Chatelaine magazine, recipe by Carolyn Potts.

• Ready In: 1 hr 20 mins
• Serves: 36
• Yields: 36 bars

Ingredients

• Base

• 2  cups flour
• 1⁄2 cup icing sugar, sifted
• 1  cup unsalted butter, cold and cut into cubes

• Filling

• 1⁄4 cup flour
• 1⁄2 teaspoon baking powder
• 1⁄2 teaspoon salt
• 2  eggs, beaten
• 1 1⁄2 cups brown sugar, packed
• 1  cup  almonds, finely chopped
• 3⁄4 cup maraschino cherry, drained and chopped

• Topping

• 1⁄4 cup maraschino cherry juice or 1⁄4 cup milk
• 3  tablespoons unsalted butter, at room temperature
• 1⁄2 teaspoon  almond extract
• 2  cups icing sugar, sifted

Directions

1. Preheat oven 350 degrees.
2. Spray 9x13 inch baking dish with oil.
3. In a bowl, using a fork, stir flour with 1/2 cup icing sugar; using a pastry blender or 2 knives, cut in the 1 cup of butter until coarse crumbs form.
4. OR.
5. Whirl flour with icing sugar in food processor until mixed. Add butter, pulse until coarse crumbs form.
6. Press mixture over bottom of baking dish.
7. Bake in centre of oven until light golden around the edges, 25 - 30 minutes. Remove from oven, set aside.
8. Meanwhile, in a bowl, stir flour, baking powder and salt.
9. In a separate bowl, put beaten eggs then stir in brown sugar.
10. Gradually stir in flour mixture, then add almonds and cherries.
11. Spread over warm base.
12. Bake in centre of oven until filling is set, 25 - 30 minutes.
13. To prepare topping - in a small bowl, using an electric beater, beat cherry juice with 3 tblsp butter and almond extract.
14. Gradually beat in 2 cups icing sugar until fluffy.
15. Cover and set aside. Cool bars, then spread icing evenly over top.
16. Refrigerate at least 2 hours before cutting into bars.
17. Store in an airtight container, refrigerate up to 1 week or freeze up to 1 month.
18. Note: if you use the cherry juice for the frosting it will be a nice pink colour!