Recipe: Best Strawberry Almond Bars

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While there are so many types of bars you can make, these offer a unique almond taste that complements the fruity jam well.

You are also in the driver’s seat when it comes to sweetness. If you prefer a sweeter treat, choose a sweet jam. If not, choose one that has less sugar or more sour, like apricot jam.

Tools 

  • 8×8 square pan
  • Stand or hand mixer

Ingredients

  • 7 ounces almond paste
  • 1 stick butter (at room temperature) + additional for buttering pan (or cooking spray)
  • 3/4 cup sugar
  • 2 eggs
  • 1 tsp vanilla or almond extract
  • 1/2 cup sour cream (can also substitute with yogurt or mayonnaise)
  • Pinch of salt
  • 1 cup flour
  • 3/4 cup strawberry jam (or other preferred fruit)

Directions

  1. Preheat the oven to 325 degrees F.
  2. Butter or spray pan and set aside.
  3. Break up almond paste using a mixer.
  4. Add butter and sugar to the almond paste and cream until mixture is even and light in color (about 5 minutes). (There may be small pieces of almond paste at the end. While not ideal, that is okay.)
  5. Add eggs and mix until fully incorporated.
  6. Add sour cream and vanilla or almond extract.
  7. Slowly mix in flour and salt just until they are fully incorporated.
  8. Spread half of the mixture evenly at the bottom of the pan. (Tip: If you have a small offset spatula, that’s the easiest way to evenly distribute the dough.)
  9. Spread a layer of jam.
  10. Spread the rest of the mixture evenly on top.
  11. Bake on the middle rack until golden brown and a toothpick in the middle comes out clean (about 45 minutes).
  12. Wait for at least 1 hour for it to cool before slicing into squares.