These Shortbread Bars with Marzipan Cream, Chocolate and Dried Cherries win many fans. With the varied colors and pops of silver, they stand out on our seasonal cookie tray.
These bar cookies consist of a layer of crumbly shortbread topped with an almond filling, chocolate chips, dried fruit and roasted salted almond chunks. Kosher salt in the dough adds a pleasant contrast to the sweet almond topping. Be creative with what goes on last. Butterscotch or white chocolate chips in place of dark chocolate ones. And any sort of diced candied fruit – orange rind, currants or apricots – would work well. We use roasted, salted almonds to enhance the range of almond flavors in this simple yet sophisticated cookie layered with fragrant almond aromas.
The Marzipan Cream Filling can be found here as a component in Frosanpper Danish pastries. https://priscillamartel.com/frosnapper-danish-marzipan-pastry-twists/
Ingredients
1½ cups (180 grams) all-purpose flour
½ cup (55 grams)powdered sugar
½ teaspoon Kosher or flaked salt
Marzipan Cream Filling
1 cup (85 grams) mini chocolate chips
½ cup (62 grams) dried cherries or cranberries
½ cup (55 grams) chopped roasted salted almonds
silver or gold sugar sprinkles, optional
Directions
- Preheat the oven to 350˚F. Grease then line a 9 x 13-inch pan with parchment paper.
- Cream the butter, sugar and Kosher salt in the bowl of a mixer fitted with the paddle. Scrape the dough into a ball, wrap in plastic and refrigerate for 30 minutes.
- Grate the dough over the large holes of a box grater into the prepared pan. Dip your fingers in flour then press the dough into an even layer in the bottom of the pan. Bake until the dough is lightly brown and set, for 11 to 13 minutes.
- Cool on a wire rack then spread an even layer of the Marzipan Cream Filling over the dough.
- Scatter the chocolate chips, dried fruit and roasted salted almonds over the filling.
- Bake until the filling bubbles and the chocolate chips melt, for approximately 16 – 18 minutes.
- Remove the pastry from the oven. Sprinkle the surface with silver sprinkles, if using. Cool completely on a wire rack. Using the parchment paper to lift then slide the pastry onto a cutting board. Trim the edges then cut them evenly into triangular shapes.
