Guest Author - Anita Burroughs

Shortbread can be tough to work with, as it frequently sticks to your fingers while you’re working with it. In this recipe however, the shortbread dough is frozen until firm, and then grated into a cake pan. It is then spread with a layer of homemade rhubarb jam, followed by another layer of grated shortbread. If you’ve never ventured to try rhubarb, don’t hesitate. These bars are melt- in- your- mouth luscious. You can also use a cup of your favorite commercial jam flavor for this recipe.

To make the jam:

One pound of rhubarb, the ends trimmed and cut into one inch pieces.
½ cup sugar
½ cup water
½ vanilla bean (or use about ¾ teaspoon of vanilla extract)

Place the cut rhubarb, sugar and water into a medium pot. Split the vanilla bean, and scrape the black seeds into the pan; then toss in the pod as well. Bring the mixture to a simmer over low heat, and cook until the rhubarb begins to soften; stir often. The cooking time will depend on the firmness and size of the rhubarb, but it should be cooked in about ten minutes. The rhubarb will look almost as though it has melted.

Take the pan off of the heat, remove the vanilla bean pod, and cool the jam to room temperature. You can make the jam up to a week ahead and store it well covered in the refrigerator. Bring it to room temperature before you use it in the recipe. Just an FYI…if you choose to use a commercial jam, check out Stonewall Kitchens brand. Their products are becoming available in more and more stores, and in gourmet markets. It’s an outstanding brand, and which is also available at www.stonewallkitchen.com.

For the Shortbread:

4 cups all purpose flour
2 teaspoons baking powder
¼ teaspoon salt
4 sticks unsalted butter at room temperature
4 large egg yolks
2 cups granulated sugar
Confectioner’s sugar, for dusting

Whisk the flour, baking powder and salt in a bowl and set this aside.

Using a mixer with a paddle attachment or a hand held mixer, beat the butter on high speed until it is pale and light. Now add the egg yolks and sugar, and beat until the sugar is dissolved. Now add the dry ingredients at low speed, mixing until just incorporated.

Place the dough on your work surface and cut it in half. Shape each half into a ball, and wrap it in plastic. Freeze the dough for about 30 minutes, or until firm. You can also keep the dough frozen until ready to use for several weeks.

When ready to bake, preheat your oven to 350 F. Take one ball of dough from the freezer. Use a box grater with large holes, and grate the dough into a 9 x 12 inch baking pan. Pat the dough gently to get it across the surface of the pan, including the corners; do not press down hard on the dough. Now spread the dough with the homemade rhubarb jam, or jam of your choice, about one cup in all. Then grate the remaining dough evenly over the surface of the jam. Bake the shortbread for about 40 minutes, or until golden brown.

Dust the top of the shortbread heavily with confectioners sugar as soon as it comes out of the oven. Cool the shortbread completely before cutting. You will get between 12-24 bars, depending on the size of your cuts. The bars will keep about 2 days at room temperature, and also freeze beautifully.