Frangipane Bars

I sometime put a layer of strawberry preserves over the crust..

• Ready In: 45 mins
• Yields: 49 bars

Ingredients

• CRUST

• 2 1⁄4 cups unbleached all-purpose flour
• 1⁄4 cup granulated sugar
• 1⁄8 teaspoon salt
• 1⁄2 cup butter, cut into small pieces
• 1⁄4 cup vegetable shortening
• 1⁄2 cup  ice water

• TOPPING

• 1  cup granulated sugar
• 8  ounces almond paste, cut into small pieces
• 4  large eggs
• 1⁄2 cup unbleached all-purpose flour
• 1  teaspoon vanilla extract
• 1⁄2 teaspoon  almond extract
• 1⁄4 teaspoon salt

Directions

1. Preheat oven to 350*. Lightly butter a 15x10x1" baking pan.
2. TO MAKE THE CRUST:.
3. In a large bowl, combine the flour, sugar and salt. Ad the butter and shortening and using a pastry blender or 2 knives, cut in until the mixture resembles coarse crumbs. Sprinkle with 1 tbls of ice water and toss with a fork until the mixture begins to pull together as a dough.
4. Gather into a ball and place on a lightly floured work surface.
5. Using a lightly floured rolling pin, roll out the dough into a rectangle large enough to cover the bottom and reach up 1/4 of the way up sides of pan. (trim as needed).
6. The crust will shrink slightly after it is prebaked. Fit the dough into the pan and press into place.
7. Bake the crust for 15 minutes or until lightly browned.
8. Cool on a wire rack. Reduce the oven temperature to 350*.
9. If the cherry or strawberry preserves are especially lumpy, puree them briefly in a food processor until smooth. Spread in a thin layer over the cooled crust.
10. TO MAKE THE TOPPING:.
11. in a large bowl, beat the sugar, almond paste and butter with an electric mixer until light and fluffy.
12. Add the eggs, one at a time, beating well after each addition.
13. Beat in the flour, the vanilla dn almond extracts and salt until smooth.
14. Spoon the topping over the cherry preserves, using a small spatula to spread it inot an even layer.
15. Bake for 30 minutes, or until lightly browned.(the frangipan will be browned on edges and slightly soft in the center).
16. Cool thoroughly (the center will firm when cooled) on a wire rack before cutting into bars.
17. Cut 7 acoss and 7 down.