Raspberry Squares

I love raspberry and almonds together! I adapted this recipe from one I found on America's Test Kitchen. Toasting the nuts adds great flavor so don't skip this step. This recipe is easily doubled and would then be made in a 15" jelly roll pan.

• Ready In: 1 hr 5 mins
• Serves: 24

Ingredients

• 1 1⁄2 cups unbleached all-purpose flour
• 1 1⁄4 cups oats
• 1⁄3 cup sugar
• 1⁄2 teaspoon  almond extract
• 1⁄3 cup light brown sugar, packed
• 1⁄4 teaspoon baking soda
• 1⁄4 teaspoon salt
• 1⁄2 cup  toasted almond, finely chopped (pecans or walnuts are good too)
• 12  tablespoons butter, cut into 12 pieces and softened but still cool
• 1  cup  raspberry preserves (or what ever flavor strikes your fancy, SEE NOTE)

Directions

1. Pre-heat oven to 350 degrees, spray a 9x13" pan with nonstick cooking spray, you may also line the pan with foil with extra hanging over for easier removal, spray foil.
2. In mixer bowl, mix flour, oats, sugars, extract, baking soda, salt, and nuts at low speed until combined, about 30 seconds. With mixer running at low speed, add butter pieces; continue to beat until mixture is well-blended and resembles wet sand, about 2 minutes.
3. Transfer 2/3 of mixture to prepared pan and use hands to press crumbs evenly into bottom, bake until starting to brown, about 20 minutes.
4. Using rubber spatula spread preserves evenly over hot bottom crust; sprinkle remaining oat/nut mixture evenly over preserves; bake until preserves bubble around edges and top is golden brown, about 30 minutes, turn pan halfway through baking time.
5. Cool on wire rack then remove from pan using foil handles, cut into squares.
6. NOTE:
7. After reading the first reviews for this, I realized the jam I used is lower sugar than many jams (9 gms per TBLS) It would be worth it to find a type that isn't overly sweet or try adding a little lemon juice to cut the sweetness.