Cranberry shortbread bars consist of two layers of buttery brown-sugar shortbread sandwiched together with a homemade cranberry sauce. The tartness of the cranberry filling and the crisp, crumbly pastry somehow contrast with and complement each other.
Christmas Day might have come and gone, but why not keep the spirit of the season alive with this delicious treat?
Ingredients
For the filling
- 225g fresh or frozen cranberries
- 150g castor sugar, or to taste
- 3 tablespoons water
For the shortbread
- 260g all-purpose flour
- 1/2 teaspoon kosher salt
- 225g unsalted butter, at room temperature
- 75g firmly packed light brown sugar
- 1 teaspoon pure vanilla extract
Method
For the filling
- Place the cranberries, sugar, and water in a medium-sized saucepan.
- Bring to a gentle boil over medium-high heat, stirring occasionally.
- Continue to gently boil until the cranberries soften and the juice becomes thick and syrupy, about 5 minutes.
- Remove from heat and let cool while you make the shortbread.
For the shortbread
- Preheat your oven to 180°C. Grease a 23cm square baking pan.
- In a bowl, whisk the flour with the salt.
- In the bowl of your electric stand mixer, beat the butter until smooth with the paddle attachment. You can also use a stand mixer.
- Add the sugar and vanilla extract and beat, on medium low speed, until creamy and smooth.
- Add the flour mixture and beat just until the ingredients are incorporated and you have clumps of batter.
- Evenly press about two-thirds of the shortbread onto the bottom of the prepared pan.
- Lightly prick with the tines of a fork. Bake the shortbread for about 18 minutes or until lightly brown.
- Remove from the oven and evenly spread the cranberry filling over the shortbread base.
- Crumble the remaining shortbread dough over the top of the cranberry filling, then lightly press the crumble into the filling.
- Bake for 25-30 minutes, or until golden brown on top.
- Remove from the oven, place on a wire rack and, while still warm, cut into 16 squares. Allow to cool completely in the pan.
Tip
- The bars can be covered and stored in the refrigerator for about five days, or they can be frozen. Warm them up in the oven before serving.
This article first appeared in butterkicap.com.
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