APRICOT BARS WITH CARDAMOM-BUTTER GLAZE

Apricot Bars with Cardamom-Butter Glaze image

Honorable Mention - Contest Recipe 2008! Apricots and almond flavoring marry in a delicious fruit bar.

Provided by Betty Crocker Kitchens

Categories Dessert

Time 2h45m

Yield 32

Number Of Ingredients 16

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Ingredients

1 large orange
2 cups chopped dried apricots
1/4 cup granulated sugar
2/3 cup water
2 tablespoons butter or margarine
1 pouch (1 lb 1.5 oz) Betty Crocker™ sugar cookie mix
1 teaspoon ground cardamom
1/2 cup cold butter or margarine
1/4 teaspoon almond extract
1 egg, slightly beaten
1/2 cup sliced almonds, coarsely chopped
1/2 cup powdered sugar
2 tablespoons butter or margarine, melted
1/4 teaspoon ground cardamom
1/4 teaspoon almond extract
1 to 2 teaspoons warm water

Steps:

Heat oven to 350°F. Spray bottom and sides of 13x9-inch pan with cooking spray. Grate 2 teaspoons peel and squeeze juice from orange. In 2-quart saucepan, heat orange juice, orange peel, apricots, granulated sugar and 2/3 cup water to boiling over medium heat, stirring occasionally. Reduce heat to medium-low; simmer 15 minutes, stirring occasionally. Remove from heat. Add 2 tablespoons butter; stir until melted. Mash filling with fork or potato masher until fairly smooth. Set aside.
In large bowl, mix cookie mix and 1 teaspoon cardamom. Cut in 1/2 cup butter, using pastry blender or fork, until mixture is crumbly. Add almond extract and egg; toss with fork to combine. Reserve 1 cup crumb mixture.
Press remaining crumb mixture in bottom of pan. Bake 15 minutes.
Spoon filling evenly over warm cookie base. Stir almonds into reserved crumb mixture; sprinkle over filling. Bake 25 to 30 minutes longer or until topping is light golden brown. Cool 10 minutes.
In small bowl, stir glaze ingredients, using enough warm water until glaze is thin enough to drizzle. Place glaze in small resealable plastic food-storage bag; seal bag. Cut off small tip from one corner of bag. Squeeze bag to drizzle glaze over warm bars. Cool completely, about 1 hour. For bars, cut into 8 rows by 4 rows. Store covered at room temperature.

Nutrition Facts : Calories 150, Carbohydrate 21 g, Cholesterol 20 mg, Fat 1 1/2, Fiber 1 g, Protein 1 g, SaturatedFat 3 g, ServingSize 1 Bar, Sodium 80 mg, Sugar 15 g, TransFat 1/2 g