Almond Creme Bars Recipes

ALMOND CREAM CHEESE SHORTBREAD BARS

Steps:

• Preheat oven to 350F. Line an 8-by-8-inch baking pan with aluminum foil, spray with cooking spray; set aside.
• In a large bowl, combine all crust ingredients and using two forks or your hands, cut butter into dry ingredients until evenly distributed and pea-sized lumps and sandy bits form. The softer the butter is, the quicker and easier it is.
• Turn mixture out into prepared pan and hard-pack it with a spatula or hands to create an even, uniform, flat crust layer.
• Bake crust for about 15 minutes, or just until barely set (pan is going back in oven so don't overbake or crust will be crumbly).
• While crusts bakes, prepare the filling.
• In a large bowl (same one is fine, just wipe out with a paper towel), add all filling ingredients, and whisk by hand or beat with an electric mixer until smooth and combined; it's okay filling is on the thin side. I prefer a stronger almond flavor and use 2 teaspoons extract, if you don't, scale the amount back.
• After crust has baked for about 15 minutes, remove pan from the oven, and evenly pour filling mixture over the crust. Filling will likely slide into place, but lightly spread it into corners using a spatula if necessary.
• Return pan to oven and bake for about 16 to 19 minutes, or until filling is no longer jiggly in the center and edges have begun to set up; filling will set up more as it cools.
• Remove pan from oven, and place on a wire rack to cool completely before frosting.
• In a large bowl (same one is fine, just wipe out with a paper towel), add the butter, confectioners' sugar, almond extract, and slowly drizzle in the cream while whisking by hand or beating with an electric mixer. As necessary, add additional cream (or sugar) to reach desired glaze consistency.
• Evenly frost the bars, smoothing frosting lightly with a spatula as necessary.
• Evenly sprinkle with slivered almonds.
• Allow bars to cool in pan uncovered for at least 1 hour (or overnight and cover with a sheet of foil) before slicing and serving so frosting can set up.

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.

TOASTED ALMOND BARS

Steps:

• Spread out almonds on a rimmed baking sheet or in a 9x13-inch pan.
• Preheat the oven to 350 degrees F (175 degrees C).
• Place almonds in the preheating oven and toast for 10 to 12 minutes to heighten their flavor. Don't let them burn. Remove from the oven and transfer to a plate so they won't continue toasting. Set aside. Keep the oven on.
• Meanwhile, line the bottom of a 9-inch springform pan with parchment paper that extends 2 inches on both sides of the pan. Center the paper across the loose bottom of the pan and clamp the ring closed over the paper and bottom. Grease springform pan and parchment paper. Refrigerate until needed.
• Combine flour, baking powder, and salt together in a bowl. Combine sugar, butter, and almond extract in a second bowl. Beat with an electric mixer until light and fluffy and the the sugar is no longer granular. Mix in egg and egg yolk until well combined. Add flour mixture and mix until well combined.
• Measure 1 cup toasted almonds and fold into the batter until evenly distributed. The batter will be thick. Spread batter evenly into the prepared pan using a spatula. Sprinkle remaining almonds across the top. Place springform pan on a baking sheet for easier handling and to catch any drips.
• Bake in the preheated oven until a toothpick inserted in the center comes out clean, 25 to 28 minutes. Remove from the oven and set pan on a cooling rack for 10 minutes.
• Unclamp the pan and carefully removing ring. Then carefully slide the hot metal pan bottom out from under the parchment, pulling the bottom in one direction with a potholder, and the parchment together in the opposite direction using a flap of parchment as the handle.
• Cool to room temperature on the parchment on the cooling rack, about 30 minutes. Cover and refrigerate until chilled before cutting into bars, about 2 hours.

ALMOND CHEESECAKE BARS

Steps:

• Preheat oven to 350°. Combine flour, butter and confectioners' sugar; press onto the bottom of a greased 13x9-in. baking pan. Bake until golden brown, 20-25 minutes. , In a small bowl, beat cream cheese, sugar and extract until smooth. Add eggs; beat on low speed just until combined. Pour over crust. Bake until center is almost set, 15-20 minutes. Cool on a wire rack., For frosting, beat all ingredients until smooth; spread over bars. Store in the refrigerator.

CHOCOLATE ALMOND BARS

Steps:

• Make crust and topping:
• Preheat oven to 350°F.
• Beat together butter and brown sugar in a bowl with an electric mixer at medium speed until pale and fluffy, about 2 minutes with a standing mixer or 3 minutes with a handheld. Reduce speed to low and mix in flour and salt just until a dough forms. Pat two thirds of dough evenly over bottom of a buttered 8- by 2-inch square metal baking pan. Bake crust in middle of oven until edge is golden, about 12 minutes. While crust is baking, work almonds into remaining dough with your hands until crumbs form, then reserve for topping. Cool crust in pan on a rack.
• Make filling while crust cools:
• Dissolve espresso powder in vanilla in a small cup. Beat together cream cheese and sugar with cleaned beaters at medium-high speed until creamy, about 2 minutes, then add egg and espresso mixture and beat well. Stir in chocolate chips.
• Pour filling onto cooled crust and crumble topping evenly over filling. Bake in middle of oven until edges are golden, about 30 to 35 minutes. Cool completely in pan on rack. Cut into 16 bars.

ALMOND FRUIT BARS

Steps:

• Preheat oven to 350 degrees. Butter an 8-inch square baking dish. In a bowl, whisk together flour, cinnamon, salt, and baking powder.
• In a mixing bowl, cream butter and sugars on high speed until light and fluffy; beat in egg yolk. Reduce speed to low; gradually mix in flour mixture. Stir in almonds.
• In a small bowl, whisk jam to loosen. (Stirring the jam with a fork or a whisk will enable it to spread smoothly over the dough.) Gently press half of dough into bottom of prepared dish. With the back of a spoon, gently spread jam over dough, leaving a 1/4-inch border so the jam doesn't stick to the sides of the pan. Sprinkle remaining dough over top all the way to the edges; press gently to form top layer.
• Bake until top is golden, 25 to 30 minutes; cool completely in dish. Cut into bars with a serrated knife.

CREAM CHEESE-ALMOND BARS

Steps:

• Combine first 4 ingredients; beat at medium speed with an electric mixer until creamy.
• Gradually add flour, beating well.
• Press dough into a lightly greased 9-inch square pan. Set aside.
• Combine cream cheese, 1 cup sugar, egg, and 1 teaspoons lemon rind; beat at medium speed until smooth.
• Stir in almonds; spoon mixture over prepared dough.
• Bake at 300F for 1 hour and 10 minutes or until set.
• Combine powdered sugar, water, and cinnamon, stirring well.
• Dollop topping onto uncut warm bars.
• Let stand 1 minute; spread evenly.
• Cool in pan on a wire rack.
• Cover and chill 3 to 4 hours.
• Cut into bars.

ALMOND CREME BARS

Steps:

• For the Crust:.
• Melt 1 cup of the butter and add it to the flour and 1/2 cup of powdered sugar. Press into a 9x13 pan and bake for 15 minutes at 350 degrees.
• For the Filling:.
• Beat the cream cheese, sugar, eggs and 1 tsp of almond flavoring together until smooth. Pour onto baked crust. Bake for 20 minutes. Let cool.
• For the Frosting:.
• Mix together the remaining 2 cups powdered sugar, 1/2 cup butter, 1 tsp almond flavoring and the milk. Spread over the cooled cream cheese layer.
• If desired, can sprinkle with slightly crushed sliced almonds.
• Slice and serve.