Step 1: Preheat Your Oven - Begin by preheating your oven to 350°F (175°C). This ensures that your Raspberry Almond Shortbread Bars bake evenly and to perfection.
Step 2: Prepare the Baking Pan - Grease your 9x13 inch baking pan lightly or line it with parchment paper for easy removal of the bars after baking.
Step 3: Mix Dry Ingredients - In a large mixing bowl, whisk together the all-purpose flour, granulated sugar, baking powder, and salt until well combined.
Step 4: Add the Butter - Add the cold, cut-up pieces of butter to the dry ingredients. Using a pastry cutter or your fingers, mix until the mixture resembles coarse crumbs.
Step 5: Incorporate Wet Ingredients - Stir in the lightly beaten egg, almond extract, and vanilla extract until the dough comes together. It may appear crumbly, but that’s perfectly fine.
Step 6: Form the Base - Press about two-thirds of the dough evenly into the prepared baking pan. Make sure it’s smooth and evenly distributed across the bottom.
Step 7: Add Raspberry Jam - Spread the raspberry jam evenly over the shortbread base.
Step 8: Top with Remaining Dough - Crumble the remaining dough over the raspberry jam, making sure to cover it as evenly as possible.
Step 9: Add Sliced Almonds - Sprinkle the sliced almonds on top of the crumbled dough for added texture and flavor.
Step 10: Bake - Place the pan in the preheated oven and bake for 30-35 minutes, or until the top is lightly golden brown and a toothpick inserted comes out clean.
Step 11: Cool and Prepare Icing - Once baked, remove the pan from the oven and allow the bars to cool in the pan for about 15 minutes. After that, transfer them to a cooling rack to cool completely. To make the icing, whisk together powdered sugar, milk, and almond extract until smooth.
Step 12: Drizzle and Serve - Once the bars are completely cooled, drizzle the icing over the top, cut into squares, and serve. Enjoy your delightful Raspberry Almond Shortbread Bars!
