FANTASTIC

CRANBERRY AMARETTO ALMOND BARS
Yield:32

These pretty bars are the perfect combination of sweet and tart. The mixture of cranberries, amaretto and almonds are like good old friends sitting right on your palate. These babies will be gone from the sweet plate in no time.

2 sticks or 1 cup unsalted butter
1 cup sugar
1 tsp cinnamon
1 tsp almond extract
1 x egg yolk
1/4 cup Amaretto
2 cups all purpose flour

For the Cranberry Amaretto Sauce

2 cups cranberries
1/2 cup Amaretto
1/2 cup sugar
1 x juice of an orange

For the Almond Coconut Topping

1/2 cup dried cranberries
3 tbsp Amaretto
2 cups slivered almonds, slightly crushed
1 cup flaked coconut
1 tsp cinnamon
1/2 cup brown sugar

For the Almond Sugar Glaze

1 cup icing sugar
1 tbsp boiling water
1 tbsp lemon juice
1 tbsp butter
1/2 tsp almond extract

Directions:

Preheat oven to 325º F.
Cream the butter in a large bowl with an electric mixer.
Add the sugar, cinnamon, almond extract and Amaretto. Beat to mix well.
Beat in egg yolk.
Gradually add the flour with the mixture on low speed, scraping bowl clean with spatula. Beat until thoroughly mixed. The dough will be thick.
Grease a foil-lined 9 x 15″ jellyroll pan with softened butter.
Press the dough into the pan and spread it to cover the bottom. Cover the dough with waxed paper and smooth it out with your hands.
Bake dough for 30 minutes or until lightly browned. Let cool for about 20 minutes.
For the Cranberry Amaretto Sauce

Place cranberries, Amaretto, sugar and orange juice into a medium saucepan and turn burner on to medium high heat.
Bring to a boil and simmer on medium to low heat, stirring often for 15-20 minutes until the cranberries have broken down and the mixture has thickened.
Let cool, then transfer to a bowl and cover with cling wrap. Set aside.
For the Almond Coconut Topping

Soak dried cranberries in a small bowl with Amaretto. Let stand for 15 minutes.
In a medium sized bowl, thoroughly combine slivered almonds, flaked coconut, cinnamon and sugar.
Combine the Amaretto-soaked dried cranberries with the almond coconut mixture. Let stand until the baked dough (above) is completely cool.
For the Almond Sugar Glaze

In a small bowl, combine sugar, boiling water, lemon juice, butter and almond extract.
With electric mixer beat lightly until the mixture is completely smooth.
To Assemble

Preheat oven to 325º F.
With a rubber spatula, spread the cranberry Amaretto sauce over the cooled, baked bar until it is completely covered.
Then sprinkle the almond coconut topping evenly over the cranberry Amaretto sauce until completely covered.
Drizzle the almond sugar glaze back and forth across the entire topping.
Bake in oven for 40 minutes or until the topping turns golden brown. Make sure dried cranberries do not burn.
Let cool in pan completely and then slice into 32 bars