Shortbread Base:
l-l/2 sticks butter
2 cups flour
l/2 cup packed light brown sugar
l/2 tsp. salt
Heat oven 350. Cut butter into l/2″ pieces. In food processor process all ingredients until mixture begins to form slal lumps. Sprinkle mix into l3x9″ pan and with a metal spatula press evenly onto bottom. Bake shoret bread in middle of oven until golden, about 20 mins. While shortbread is baking prepare topping.
Lemon Bars:
4 large eggs
l-l/2 cups sugar
l/4 cup fresh lemon juice
l/3 cup flour
hot shortbread base
3 tbsps. confections sugar
In bowl whisk together eggs and sugar until combined well and stir in lemon juice and flour. Pour lemon mixture ovdreover hot shortbread. Reduce oven to 300. and bake in middle of oven until set, about 30 mins. Cool completely in pan and cut into 24 bars. Sift sugar over bars before serving.
Pecan Bars:
8 ozs. pecans (about 2 cups)
l stick butter
l cup packedf light brown sugar
l/3 cup honey
2 trbsps. heavy cream
hot shrot bread base.
In food processor coarsely chop pecans. In heavy saqucepan melt butter and stir in brown sugar, jhoney and cream. Simmer stirring l min. and stir in pecans. Pour pecans mix over hot shortbread and spread evenly. Bake in middle of oven until bubbling, about 20 mins. Cool completely in pan and cut into 24 bars.
Blueberry Cheesecake Bars:
;6 pzs/ crea, cj l6 oz. cream cheese, softened
2 large eggs
l/4 cup sugar
l tsp. vanilla
l/4 cup blueberry or other fruit preserves
hot shortbread base
In bowl whisk cream cheese until smooth and whisk in egtgs, sugar and vanilla. Evenly spread preserves over hot shortbread and pour cream cheese mix over it. Bake in middle of oven until slightly puffed about 30 mins.
Gourmet March l999