Peach Melba Shortbread Bars

Make Ahead: The bars will keep for 5 days at room temperature, layered between wax paper in a tightly closed container.

2 cups flour

½ cup sugar

¼ teaspoon salt

16 tablespoons (2 sticks) cold unsalted butter, cut into ½-inch cubes

1 cup peach preserves

3 tablespoons raspberry preserves

½ cup sliced almonds

Preheat the oven to 350 degrees. Press a long piece of aluminum foil into the pan to create a sling, leaving several inches of overhang on two opposite sides so you can use it to pull the bars out of the pan later. Generously grease the foil with cooking oil spray (this will help release the sticky edges of the cooked jam after the bars are baked).

Combine the flour, sugar and salt in a mixing bowl. Use a food processor or your clean, cool hands to work the butter into the flour mixture until crumbly. Reserve 1 cup of the crust mixture for the crumb topping.

Press the remaining crust mixture into the bottom of the pan. Bake (middle rack) for 25 to 30 minutes, or until lightly browned.

Remove from the oven; spread the peach preserves over the hot crust. Then spoon small amounts of the raspberry preserves around. Sprinkle the reserved crumbly crust mixture over the filling, making sure to cover most of it, then scatter the almonds on top.

Bake for 40 to 45 minutes, or until the topping starts to turn golden brown and the almonds are fragrant and lightly browned. Let cool (in the pan) on a wire rack for 1 hour, then remove the slab using the foil sling and cut into 16 bars.

Makes 16 bars

Nutrition | Calories: 260; Total Fat: 13 g; Saturated Fat: 7 g; Cholesterol: 30 mg; Sodium: 45 mg; Total Carbohydrates: 35 g; Dietary Fiber: 1 g; Sugars: 19 g; Protein: 2 g.

Adapted from "Sunday Suppers: Simple, Delicious Menus for Family Gatherings" by Cynthia Graubart (Southern Living, 2017).