Apricot Almond Shortbread Bars - cooking recipe

Ingredients

1 1/2 cups butter, softened
2 cups sugar
2 large egg yolks
1/2 teaspoon vanilla extract
1/4 teaspoon almond extract
4 cups all-purpose flour
1 1/3 cups blanched almonds, toasted and chopped fine (to toast almonds, bake in preheated 350 oven 10 minutes, cool.)
1 (10 ounce) jar apricot preserves

Preparation

Preheat oven to 350\u00b0.
Beat butter and sugar in mixer bowl until fluffy.
Beat in egg yolks and vanilla and almond extracts.
Mix in flour and toasted almonds until the mixture forms a soft dough.
Divide dough in half.
Press one half into 15x10-inch jellyroll pan.
Spread evenly with preserves.
Cover completely with remaining dough (flatten pieces with hands and carefully patch on top of preserve layer).
Bake 45 minutes, or until golden brown.
Cut into 3x1-inch bars.
Can be made ahead.
Wrap and freeze up to 1 month.
Thaw wrapped at room temperature.