Almond Bar Recipe From Iowa

ALMOND BARS

Steps:

• Preheat the oven to 325 degrees. Sift together the flour, baking powder and salt and set aside. Cream together the butter and the sugar. Add the egg and the almond extract and then mix until light and fluffy. Slowly add the flour mixture to the butter mixture. Mix until combined.
• Press the dough into the bottom of a well-greased 9x13 pan. Press with your fingers or a pastry roller to smooth the top of the dough. Using a pastry brush, brush a tiny bit of milk across the top of the dough. Sprinkle with sliced almonds and very lightly press them into the top of the dough.
• Bake for 18-20 min, or until just barely beginning to brown around the edges. Do not let the bars brown at all. Let cool in the pan for 5 minutes and then cut into bars. If they are too soft to cut, let them cool for a few more minutes. Carefully transfer the bars to a wire rack to cool completely before icing.
• To make the icing: Add just a tiny bit of milk at a time to the powdered sugar. If the consistency is too thick, it won't drizzle nicely over the bars. If it is too thin, the icing will just melt into the bars. If you are unsure, test a bit of it on the edge of one bar before drizzling the icing over the entire batch.

ALMOND BARS

Steps:

• Beat together the eggs and sugar until lemon-colored. Add the butter, flour, and almond extract; mix well.
• Spread the batter in an even layer on a buttered 13x9-inch baking pan. Sprinkle the top of the batter with sliced amonds if you wish; otherwise leave the top as is.
• Bake at 325° for 30 to 35 minutes, or until a toothpick inserted in the center comes out clean.
• Remove pan from the oven and dust the top with a light sprinkling of confectioner's sugar, if you wish. Leave cookies in the pan to cool completely.
• When cooled, cut into bars. (I usually cut 9 vertical rows and 4 horizontal rows, to get 36 bar cookies.).

ALMOND BARS

Steps:

• Preheat oven to 325 degrees F. Generously butter (or use baking spray) on a half sheet pan (approximatedly 18"x13"). Set aside.
• In a medium bowl, combine flour, baking powder, and salt. Set aside.
• In a mixing bowl, beat butter and sugar until light and fluffy, about 3-4 minutes. Add in eggs and almond extract. Beat until combined. Slowly add in flour mixture. Mixing until well blended.
• Press this dough into the bottom of your prepared baking dish. Use your fingers or a pastry roller to smooth the top of the dough.
• Using a pastry brush, brush the milk to the top of the dough (you may not need to use all of it). Sprinkle with sliced almonds, pressing them lightly into the dough.
• Bake for 20-22 minutes until done. You don't want to brown these bars.
• Cool for about 5 minutes, then cut them with a knife into bars. If they are too soft to cut, allow to cool a little bit more. Carefully remove them to a wire rack to continue cooling.
• Once cooled, you can make your glaze by whisking the sugar with the almond extract and milk. Drizzle over the bars and allow to set.
• Enjoy!

ELEGANT ALMOND BARS

Steps:

• Heat oven to 350°F. In large bowl, stir cookie base ingredients until soft dough forms. Spread in ungreased 13x9-inch pan. Bake 15 to 18 minutes or until light golden brown.
• Meanwhile, in large bowl, beat almond paste, sugar and 1/4 cup melted butter with electric mixer on low speed until blended. Add 2 eggs; beat until well blended (mixture may be slightly lumpy).
• Spread almond paste mixture over partially baked base. Sprinkle with 1/2 cup almonds. Bake 15 to 20 minutes longer or until filling is set (filling will puff up during baking). Cool completely, about 1 hour.
• In 1-quart heavy saucepan, melt white chocolate and shortening over low heat, stirring constantly, until smooth. Pour and spread over cooled bars. Sprinkle with 1/4 cup almonds. Let stand about 30 minutes or until topping is set. For bars, cut into 8 rows by 4 rows. Store covered at room temperature.

HOLIDAY ALMOND BARS

Steps:

• In a large bowl, cream the butter, almond paste and 2 cups sugar until light and fluffy. Beat in eggs and extract. Gradually add flour just until moistened., Spread into a greased 13x9-in. baking dish. Sprinkle with remaining sugar; top with almonds. , Bake at 350° for 30-35 minutes or until a toothpick inserted in the center comes out clean. Cool on a wire rack. Cut into squares. Store in the refrigerator.

SCANDINAVIAN ALMOND BARS

Steps:

• Preheat oven to 325 degrees F (165 degrees C).
• In a medium bowl, cream butter and sugar. Add egg and almond extract; mix until fluffy. Stir in flour, baking powder and salt; mix well.
• Divide dough into 4 pieces, and roll each one into a log about 12 inches long. Place 2 logs per cookie sheet 4 to 5 inches apart. Flatten each roll by hand until it is about 3 inches wide. Brush flattened roll with milk and sprinkle with sliced almonds.
• Bake in preheated oven 12 to 15 minutes or until edges are slightly browned. While the cookies are still warm, cut them crosswise at a diagonal, into slices about 1 inch wide. When cool, drizzle with almond icing.
• Almond icing: In a small bowl, stir together powdered sugar, almond extract, and milk until smooth. Drizzle over the cookies.

ALMOND BARS

Steps:

• In a large bowl, beat the eggs and sugar until lemon-colored. Beat in butter and extract; gradually stir in the four and mix well. Spread into a greased 13x9-in. baking pan. , Bake at 325° for 30-35 minutes or until a toothpick inserted in the center comes out clean. Cool on a wire rack. Sprinkle with confectioners' sugar.

ALMOND BARS

Steps:

• Preheat the oven to 350 degrees F.
• In medium bowl combine flour, baking powder and salt. In a mixer beat together the butter and sugar until fluffy. Add egg and almond extract and beat well. Slowly add flour mixture and beat until combined, scraping down the sides of the bowl as necessary. Turn the dough onto a clean work surface, and, with a sharp knife, divide the dough into 4 even pieces. Roll each piece into a 12 by 3-inch roll (or whatever size you like).
• Place 2 rolls on an ungreased cookie sheet, 4 inches apart. Repeat with remaining rolls. Brush rolls with milk and sprinkle with almonds. Bake until edges are lightly browned, about 12 to 14 minutes, rotating the pans halfway through cooking. While cookies are still warm cut them crosswise at a diagonal into 1-inch strips. Cool on a wire rack.
• For the glaze:
• In a small bowl, mix the sugar and milk until smooth. Drizzle over almond cookies. Let sit until glaze is set, about 15 minutes.

DUTCH LETTER BARS

Steps:

• Preheat oven to 325 degrees. In a mixer, combine ingredients and blend well. Spread in 9X13 in pan. Brush with egg whites, sprinkle with sliced almonds and coarse sugar.
• Bake for 30 minutes until golden brown. Do not over bake.