The Atlanta Journal-Constitution
VIENNESE MARZIPAN BARS
If fancy, colorful cookies are a must for your holidays, this is the one for you. Make the marzipan layer any color you like. Our choice was green. Instead of the classic apricot jam Heatter calls for, try strawberry or seedless blackberry. For a little extra color, top, as we did, with holiday sprinkles, added while the glaze is still warm. These are best after they stand for a few hours, and should be refrigerated for storage.
1 cup all- purpose flour
½ teaspoon baking powder
⅓ cup unsalted butter ( 5⅓ tablespoons)
½ cup granulated sugar plus another
⅔ cup granulated sugar, divided
2 eggs, divided
1 tablespoon milk
¾ cup blanched almonds
¼ teaspoon salt
1 teaspoon vanilla, divided few drops food coloring of your choice, optional
½ cup apricot preserves, lightly warmed
½ ounce unsweetened chocolate
1 tablespoon unsalted butter
½ cup powdered sugar
1 tablespoon boiling water sprinkles, if desired
Heat the oven to 375 degrees. Line the bottom and sides of an 8- inch- square baking dish with foil, and lightly spray with nonstick cooking spray.
Sift the flour and baking powder together and set aside.
In a medium bowl, use a hand mixer to cream the butter.
Add ½ cup sugar and beat well. Add
1 egg yolk and milk and beat until the mixture begins to hold together.
Move the mixture to a prepared baking dish and press firmly to form a smooth bottom layer.
Put in the oven for 5 minutes. Remove from the oven and set aside.
While the bottom crust is baking, make the filling: In the bowl of a food processor, grind almonds to a fine powder.
Add salt and the remaining ⅔ cup sugar and pulse until combined.
Add the remaining egg and egg white, ½ teaspoon of vanilla and a few drops of food coloring, if using.
Pulse until combined.
Spread the apricot preserves over the hot crust, then top with filling.
Return to the oven and bake 25 minutes, or until the top of the cookies springs back when lightly pressed with a fingertip.
Do not overbake. Remove from the oven and cool on a wire rack.
While the cookies are cooling, make the glaze: In a 1 cup glass measuring cup, combine chocolate and butter and heat in a microwave in 20- second increments until the chocolate begins to melt. Remove from the microwave and stir until completely melted.
Stir in powdered sugar, water and the remaining ½ teaspoon of vanilla and stir until completely smooth.
Pour the glaze over the cooling cookies and spread evenly. If using sprinkles, add now.
Let them stand until completely cool; overnight is fine.
Remove from the baking sheet, peel off the foil and cut into 16 bars.
Makes: 16
Per bar: 220 calories ( percent of calories from fat, 37), 3 grams protein, 32 grams carbohydrates, 1 gram fiber, 9 grams total fat ( 4 grams saturated), 35 milligrams cholesterol, 57 milligrams sodium.
All recipes have been adapted from “Cookies Are Magic” by Maida Heatter ( Little, Brown and Co., $ 28).