Shortbread Bars
Instructions:
- 2 cups all-purpose fl our
- 1â„2 teaspoon baking powder
- 1â„4 teaspoon salt
- 16 tablespoons (2 sticks) cool unsalted butter, cut into chunks
- 1 cup sugar
- 2 large egg yolks, at room temperature
- 1 teaspoon vanilla extract
- 1â„2 cup homemade jam or the jam of your choice
- Confectioners’ sugar for dusting
- Whisk the fl our, baking powder, and salt in a medium bowl; set aside.
- Soften the butter in a large bowl with an electric mixer at medium speed just until it starts to get gooey at the edges. Add the sugar and continue beating until the sugar has mostly dissolved and the mixture is quite fluffy, about 4 minutes.
- Beat in the egg yolks one at a time, then the vanilla. Turn off the beaters, add the fl our mixture, and beat at low speed until a smooth dough forms.
- Divide the dough in half and roll each into a ball. Wrap each in plastic and set in the freezer until well chilled but not frozen, about 1 hour.
- Position the rack in the center of the oven and preheat the oven to 350 F
- Unwrap one ball of dough and grate it through the large holes of a box grater into an 8-inch baking pan. Spread the dough shards gently but evenly to the corners without pressing down. Dot the jam over the dough; spread gently with a rubber spatula. Unwrap the other ball of dough and grate it into the pan, covering the jam and spreading the shards to the corners.
- Bake until lightly browned and set on the top, 30 to 35 minutes.
- To cool: Transfer the pan to a wire rack and cool completely, about 2 hours. Dust the top of the shortbread bars with confectioners’ sugar and cut into 16 pieces (making four cuts each way in the pan).
- To store: The bars can be kept between sheets of wax paper in a sealed container at room temperature for up to 3 days.