Rosemary Apricot Bars

I took a trip to visit my parents last week and toted along with me the Baked Explorations cookbook. I always bring cookbooks or recipes I’ve been wanting to try because I have a large enough audience there to eat the results.

After going through the cookbook with both mom and dad, I decided on the Rosemary Apricot Squares recipe. It is a sweet-meets-savory delight and turned out so beautiful. Basically, the bottom layer is a shortbread but with rosemary mixed in. Then there is an apricot filling layer. Then the topping is a fine, pecan crumble.

The recipe calls for fresh rosemary but I substituted dried. This, of course, resulted in opportunities for me to make a mess…like dumping the entire bottle of rosemary onto the ground.

Also, I was supposed to make my own apricot jam. Now that sounds lovely, right? Well its winter and apricots are sparse…and I’m too darn lazy to make my own when Smuckers can do it for me! So I substituted the sugar-free apricot jam for the homemade version. This may be blasphemy but it really saved on a lot of sugar and still provided a lot of flavor (because the top and bottom layers had a ton of sugar in them!).

(some of the apricot bubbled though the topping)

The topping was a classic crumble and I didn’t mess with it at all!
I was also really excited about this recipe because I used a food processor for the first time to make the whole thing. I am pretty behind the times when it comes to kitchen electrics, and it was surprisingly easy to use the processor; plus it made the whole prep time for this recipe SO quick.

Recipe Adapted From “Baked Explorations”

Rosemary Apricot Squares

(Dough) 1 and 3/4 cups all purpose flour

1/2 teaspoon salt

2 and 1/2 teaspoons dried rosemary, minced

12 tablespoons butter, cubed, room temperature

1/2 cup confectioners’ sugar

3/4 teaspoon vanilla extract

(Filling) 1 jar [12.75 oz] sugar-free apricot jam

(Topping) 1/2 cup all purpose flour

1/2 cup packed brown sugar

1/3 cup pecans

pinch of salt

3 tablespoons butter, cubed, cold

~Spray a 9″ square, glass pan with non-stick spray, then drape parchment paper into pan so it hangs over the sides (for easy removal of bars once they’re done)

~In food processor, pulse together butter, confectioners’ sugar and butter until fluffy. Then remaining “dough” ingredients and pulse until incorporated. Remove from processor and press into your prepared pan until it is an even layer. Place in fridge for 30 min.

~Preheat oven to 350 degrees F; bake the dough for 25-30 min (golden brown) then place on wire rack to cool while preparing the topping.

~Pulse ingredients for topping in food processor until it resembles course sand that has slightly chunky pieces in it (no bigger than pea-sized)

~Spread jam on top of baked dough layer. Sprinkle on topping. Bake for an additional 30-35 min (golden brown). Let cool on wire rack for 1 hour. Use over-hanging parchment paper to help remove bars from pan, then cut into 9 large squares (or any size you want).

Anyways, the squares baked up so nicely and tasted awesome. They were gobbled up in no time. Also from this cookbook, mom made the Monkey Bubble Bread. It was so sweet and rich, yet we ate it all up.
[I am deciding whether or not to start including all of the recipes I’m baking with my posts. I did it in this post and will probably keep doing it unless it becomes too much of a hassle. If anybody likes the recipes posted, please feel free to let me know so I know to keep doing it!]

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