Cherry Almond 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 ⓘ
Instructions
- Preheat oven 350 degrees.
- Spray 9x13 inch baking dish with oil.
- 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.
- OR.
- Whirl flour with icing sugar in food processor until mixed. Add butter, pulse until coarse crumbs form.
- Press mixture over bottom of baking dish.
- Bake in centre of oven until light golden around the edges, 25 - 30 minutes. Remove from oven, set aside.
- Meanwhile, in a bowl, stir flour, baking powder and salt.
- In a separate bowl, put beaten eggs then stir in brown sugar.
- Gradually stir in flour mixture, then add almonds and cherries.
- Spread over warm base.
- Bake in centre of oven until filling is set, 25 - 30 minutes.
- To prepare topping - in a small bowl, using an electric beater, beat cherry juice with 3 tblsp butter and almond extract.
- Gradually beat in 2 cups icing sugar until fluffy.
- Cover and set aside. Cool bars, then spread icing evenly over top.
- Refrigerate at least 2 hours before cutting into bars.
- Store in an airtight container, refrigerate up to 1 week or freeze up to 1 month.
- Note: if you use the cherry juice for the frosting it will be a nice pink colour!
Nutrition & Diet Analysis (per serving)
1064
kcal
53% DV
Protein
Fat
Carbs
* % Daily Values based on a 2,000 calorie diet (FDA 2020).