Shelly's Recipe

ALMOND LINZER MERINGUE BARS

Category: Bars

1/3 cup toasted almonds
1 cup flour
1/3 cup brown sugar
1 tsp cinnamon
1/2 cup butter, cut into 8 chunks
3 egg whites
1/4 cup sugar
1 1/2 cup toasted almonds
1/2 cup raspberry preserves
Powdered sugar

Heat oven to 350. Coat a 13x9 inch baking dish with vegetable cooking spray. Place 1/3 cup almonds in bowl of food processor fitted with steel blade; process until finely ground. Add flour, brown sugar and 1/2 tsp of the cinnamon; process to blend. Add butter; process until thoroughly blended and the mixture begins to come together; press evenly onto bottom of pan.

Bake in center of oven 10 to 12 minutes just until edges are browned. Cool on rack 10 minutes.

Meanwhile, in larger mixer bowl, beat egg whites and the remaining 1/2 sliced cinnamon to form soft peaks. Gradually add granulated sugar, beating until stiff peaks form. Fold in 1 cup of the remaining almonds. Spread preserves evenly on crust in pan, then spread with egg white mixture. Sprinkle with the sliced almonds.

Bake in center of oven about 25 minutes until meringue is evenly light brown. Cool on rack. Dust with powdered sugar. With sharp knife cut into bars.