Norwegian Almond Bars - cooking recipe

Ingredients

Crust
2 cups all-purpose flour
1 teaspoon baking powder
1 teaspoon salt
3/4 cup granulated sugar
3/4 cup unsalted butter, at room temperature
Filling
1/2 cup mashed potatoes, cold
1 1/4 cups powdered sugar, sifted
1 1/2 cups ground almonds
1 teaspoon ground cinnamon
1/2 teaspoon ground cardamom
1 tablespoon water
1 egg, separated

Preparation

Preheat oven to 375F .
Sift together dry ingredients for crust. Cut in butter until mixture resembles small peas.
Press 3/4 of this mixture into an ungreased 9 x 13 inch pan. Reserve remaining crust mixture.
Bake 10 minutes. Place pan on wire rack to cool slightly.
Blend together mashed potatoes, powdered sugar, almonds, spices, water and egg white. Mix thoroughly.
Gently spread mixture evenly over partially baked crust.
Combine remaining crust mixture and egg yolk. Press together and roll on a floured surface in a 10 x 16 inch rectangle. Cut into strips and criss-cross on the filling.
Bake 20-25 minutes.
Cut into bars while still warm.