Raspberry-Almond Bars

Raspberry-Almond Bars
Crust:
2 tbs granulated sugar
1/2 cup all purpose flour
2 tsp cornstarch
3 tbs softened unsalted butter
1/4 tsp vanilla extract
Filling:
1/2 cup blanched slivered almonds, toasted
1/2 cup + 1 tbs granulated sugar, divided use
2 tbs very soft unsalted butter
2 egg yolks
1/2 tsp vanilla extract
1/4 tsp almond extract
6-oz fresh raspberries, washed and patted dry (about 1-1/2 cups)
Preheat the oven to 350F. Line a 6-inch square baking pan with foil, extending the foil up over at least two of the sides. Brush sides and bottom with melted butter or spray with cooking spray.
For the crust, whisk the sugar, flour and cornstarch together in a small bowl. Using a hand mixer, blend in the butter and vanilla and beat on low speed for a couple of minutes until dough holds together. It should be a little crumbly but not dry. Scrape the dough into the prepared pan and press it evenly over the bottom. Use a small spatula to smooth the top as much as possible, but don’t worry if it’s not perfectly even. Prick the surface of the dough all over with a fork.
Bake the crust for 8 to 10 minutes, or until it’s set and just beginning to turn light brown around the edges. Remove from the oven and let cool.
For the filling, place the toasted almonds and 2 tbs of the sugar in the bowl of a small food processor or small blender jar and pulse until the almonds are completely crushed and the mixture is powdery. The sugar will keep the almonds from turning into almond butter, but stop processing if the mixture starts to get gummy. Set aside.
In a small bowl, mix 6 tbs of the remaining sugar with the butter until mostly smooth. Add the egg yolks and the extracts and beat until smooth. Add the ground almond-sugar mixture and stir to combine.
Spread the almond-egg mixture over the crust, smoothing it as evenly as you can (don’t worry if it’s not perfect). Place the raspberries evenly in a single layer over the top of the almond mixture. Try to cover most of the area — if the berries are very large, slice them lengthwise so they fit better.
Place the pan back in the oven and bake for 40 to 50 minutes, or until golden brown in most spots and set (you can use a cake tester to make sure the middle is baked through if you’re not sure). Remove from the oven and let cool for 90 minutes to 2 hours. (Seriously — if you try to slice them warm, they’ll fall apart.)
When completely cool, remove from the pan using the foil extensions. Carefully peel the foil off the sides of the shortbread and slide it off the foil. Cut into 6 bars (or 9 if you prefer a smaller size).