12 Days of Christmas cookies 2008: Day 2: Raspberry Shortbread Bars

For the holidays, one of my earliest memories of baking, is of making these with my grandmother. I was so tiny I had to stand on a chair next to her. Watching her, in her apron completely covered with flour, as she cut the flour and butter with her pastry cutter. She would smile down at me and explain to me exactly what she was doing.

It's from this memory that my love of baking comes from, and has become a tradition in my family to make these Raspberry shortbread bars with my daughters.

What I found intriguing about this recipe, is the method in which the pastry is cut. After the dough has been chilled, it is grated into a buttered pan. I then, very gently pressed the crust together. It truly made a light, delicate and flaky crust.

The only additions I made were to increase the amount of jam. I remember my grandmother's bars being overfilled with jam,(or maybe it was her loved baked in, so I used a full 12 oz. jar of raspberry jam), and I would have also like to add slivered almonds on top.

Raspberry Shortbread Bars

2 cups butter, softened
1 cups sugar
2 eggs
1 teaspoon vanilla extract
2 cups all-purpose flour
1 teaspoon baking powder
1 (12 ounce) jar raspberry jam

DIRECTIONS

Preheat oven to 350F.

In a mixing bowl, cream butter and sugar. Add eggs, one at a time, beating well after each addition. Beat in extract. Combine flour and baking powder; gradually add to the creamed mixture.
Divide into two logs, and chill for about an hour.
Then, gently grate the first log, for the bottom crust. Very gently pressing it into, a greased 13-in. x 9-in. x 2-in. baking pan.
Drop spoonfulls of jam, covering the bottom layer of crust.
Gently grate the second log, over the jam, until it is completely covered.
Bake for 35 minutes or until lightly browned. About halfway through, cover with foil.
Cool on a wire rack. Cut into 12 bars.

Adapted from Food and Wine, by Pastry Chef,Melissa McKinney
Link of the Day: Steamy Kitchen

I’m sending these Raspberry shortbread cookies to Susan at Food Blogga for her Eat Christmas Cookies Season 2! Last year more than 200 cookie recipes were submitted. Looking for a great cookie recipe , check out Season 2’s round-up page for the new cookies submitted! If you have your own favorite recipe you would like to share, then make your own and submit it to Susan before the 21st! Have fun baking this Christmas!