Peach Almond Jam Bars

For the crust/base layer:
Preheat oven to 350 F.

Cream butter and sugar in a large bowl using an electric mixer. Add flour, chopped almonds and extract. Mix well. Batter will be thick and crumbly.

Prepare an 8×8 inch baking pan by covering the bottom and sides with 2 pieces of overlapping parchment paper cut to fit the width, allowing the paper to slightly hang over the edges. Spread batter into the bottom of the pan then pat it down and into the edges with your fingertips.

Bake crust at 350 F for 10 minutes. Remove from oven and immediately spread the peach preserves or your favorite jam over the hot crust. Set aside while preparing the middle layer. Increase oven temperature to 375 F.

For the middle/filling layer:
Mix all ingredients together in a large bowl and make sure that you mix well. Drop evenly spaced tablespoons of batter over the top of the peach preserves or jam. Using the back of a spoon, carefully spread the batter out to the edges of the pan.

Bake at 375 F for 25-30 minutes or until top is a golden brown. Remove from oven and allow to cool completely before cutting. Once cool, remove it from the pan using the paper handles, put it onto a cutting board and cut into 9-18 squares.

For the glaze:
In a small bowl mix all the ingredients with a whisk until smooth. Drizzle over top of the cooled bars. Allow glaze to set before serving.

This recipe was adapted from a recipe for Almond Bars that I found in a vintage cookbook called Forum Feasts.