Cranberry Shortbread Bars for Two

Note: You may substitute leftover cranberry sauce for the topping part of this recipe.

Line a 9”x5”x3” loaf pan with foil, leaving enough overhanging so that you can easily pull the bars out of the pan once they have cooked. Preheat the oven to 350°.

In the bowl of a food processor, add the flour and ¼ cup of the sugar. Pulse once to combine. Add the butter and pulse a few times until a coarse meal forms. The dough should barely clump together slightly when you squeeze it in your hand. It will not be sticky or have the appearance of pie or cookie dough. Dump the mixture into the loaf pan and press it into an even layer. Bake for 25 minutes.

Meanwhile, in a small saucepan, combine the cranberries, 1/3 cup + 1 tablespoon of sugar, and the 2 tablespoons water. Bring to a simmer and cook about 5 minutes, until most of the berries have popped. Remove from the heat and stir in the vanilla. Pour this mixture over the baked shortbread and bake another 20 minutes, or until the shortbread is golden brown.

Let cool in the pan before pulling it out of the pan with the foil and attempting to slice. Dust with powdered sugar before serving.