Raspberry-Almond Squares - cooking recipe

Ingredients

1 cup granulated sugar
3/4 cup slivered almonds, lightly toasted
1 cup unsalted butter
2 cups flour
1 pinch salt
1 egg yolk
1/2 teaspoon almond extract
10 ounces raspberry jam
confectioners' sugar (for sprinkling)

Preparation

Set the oven at 350 degrees.
Lightly butter a 9-by-13-inch pan.
Line the pan with waxed paper, letting the sides extend over the edges.
Butter the paper and dust it with flour.
In a food processor fitted with the steel blade, work the sugar and almonds until they are finely chopped.
Remove from the bowl.
Cut the butter into pieces and add them to the processor with the flour and salt.
Work in on-off motions until the mixture forms crumbs.
Mix the yolk with the almond extract.
Add it to the flour mixture.
Add the nut mixture.
Pulse just to combine them.
Spread more than half the crumb mixture in the prepared pan, patting it down gently.
Drop the jam over the mixture.
Sprinkle with the remaining crumbs, patting them very gently.
It's OK if jam peeks through the crumbs.
Transfer the pan to the hot oven and bake the mixture for 40 to 50 minutes or until the top is golden brown and the jam is bubbling.
Cool the pan on a wire rack.
Using the sides of the waxed paper, slide the rectangle of dough onto the rack.
Let it cool completely, then set it on a cookie sheet and chill the dough.
Use a serrated-edge knife in a sawing motion to cut the dough into 18 bars.
Sprinkle with confectioners' sugar before serving.
Store in an airtight container.