Raspberry Almond Cream Cheese Bars

Ingredients

1 c. butter, softened
3/4 c powdered sugar
1 tsp vanilla
1/4 tsp salt
2 c. flour
2/3 c. sliced almonds
1 small jar of raspberry jam
8 oz. cream cheese, softened
1 can sweetened condensed milk

Directions

1. Preheat the oven to 350 degrees. Combine butter, sugar, salt and vanilla in a bowl.  Add the flour and mix well. Set aside 1 cup of this mixture in a separate bowl.

2.  In an ungreased 9×9 non-stick pan, pat the cookie mixture evenly on the bottom of the pan.  Cook crust for 10-15 minutes and set aside.

3.  In a bowl, combine softened cream cheese and sweetened condensed milk.  Mix together until well blended and smooth in texture.  Poor this mixture over cookie crust.

4.  Mix the raspberry jam up in the jar with a tiny bit of warm water until it becomes slightly syrupy in texture. Spread raspberry jam over cream cheese mixture.

5. Add sliced almonds to the reserved 1 c. cookie mixture until combined. Crumble this over the cream cheese/raspberry swirl layer.  Cook in the oven for 25- 30 minutes.

Enjoy!

The Black and White Cookie

Do you remember the Seinfeld episode that centered around a Black and White Cookie?  At the bakery, you can get a cookie just like the one seen in the show.  This simple cookie is a delicious treat for anyone at any age.  A cake-like cookie smothered in chocolate and vanilla icing can satisfy anyone’s craving.  I can’t give away our secret recipe but here’s a good one I found on Epicurious.com

Ingredients for Cookies

  • 1 1/4 cups all-purpose flour
  • 1/2 teaspoon baking soda
  • 1/2 teaspoon salt
  • 1/3 cup well-shaken buttermilk
  • 1/2 teaspoon vanilla
  • 1/3 cup (5 1/3 tablespoons) unsalted butter, softened
  • 1/2 cup granulated sugar
  • 1 large egg

Ingredients for Icings

  • 1 1/2 cups confectioners sugar
  • 1 tablespoon light corn syrup
  • 2 teaspoons fresh lemon juice
  • 1/4 teaspoon vanilla
  • 1 to 2 tablespoons water
  • 1/4 cup unsweetened Dutch-process cocoa powder

To Make cookies:
Preheat oven to 350°F.

Whisk together flour, baking soda, and salt in a bowl. Stir together buttermilk and vanilla in a cup.

Beat together butter and sugar in a large bowl with an electric mixer until pale and fluffy, about 3 minutes, then add egg, beating until combined well. Mix in flour mixture and buttermilk mixture alternately in batches at low speed (scraping down side of bowl occasionally), beginning and ending with flour mixture. Mix until smooth.

Spoon 1/4 cups of batter about 2 inches apart onto a buttered large baking sheet. Bake in middle of oven until tops are puffed and pale golden, and cookies spring back when touched, 15 to 17 minutes. Transfer with a metal spatula to a rack and chill (to cool quickly), about 5 minutes.

Make icings while cookies chill:
Stir together confectioners sugar, corn syrup, lemon juice, vanilla, and 1 tablespoon water in a small bowl until smooth. Transfer half of icing to another bowl and stir in cocoa, adding more water, 1/2 teaspoon at a time, to thin to same consistency as white icing.

Ice cookies:
Turn cookies flat sides up, then spread white icing over half of each and chocolate over other half.