Best Raspberry Jam Macaroon Bars Recipes

RASPBERRY JAM BARS

Steps:

• Preheat the oven to 350°F and adjust the oven rack to the middle position. Line an 8-inch square baking dish with heavy-duty aluminum foil so that it overlaps the sides and spray with nonstick cooking spray.
• In the bowl of a food processor fitted with the steel blade, place the pecans, flour, coconut, oats, salt, and baking powder. Blend until the mixture has a fine, sand-like texture. Set aside.
• In the bowl of an electric mixer, beat the butter with the granulated sugar and brown sugar on medium speed until light and creamy, a few minutes. Add the egg and beat until well combined. Add the flour mixture to the butter mixture and beat on low speed until just combined. The dough will be sticky. Place ⅔ of the dough on the bottom of the prepared baking dish, using an offset spatula to spread it into an even layer. (If you don't have an offset spatula, lightly wet your fingers and press the dough into an even layer.) Spread the jam over the surface of the dough, leaving ¼-inch space between the jam and the sides of the baking dish so the bars won't stick to the foil. Pinch off 1-inch clumps of the remaining dough and scatter evenly over top of the jam. The dough won't cover the entire surface; that's okay. Bake for about 35 minutes, until the topping is golden brown.
• Let the jam bars cool in the baking dish on a rack for about 15 minutes. Using the foil overhang, lift the bars out of the pan and onto the countertop. Pull the foil away from the sides to prevent sticking, and then let sit until completely cool, a few hours. Cut into 16 bars. Cover the bars with foil and store at room temperature for up to two days.
• Freezer-Friendly Instructions: These can be frozen for up to 2 months. Let the cool completely and store in an airtight container separating layers with parchment paper or aluminum foil. Before serving, remove the bars from the container and let them come to room temperature.

RASPBERRY MACARONS

Steps:

• For the macaroon: Preheat oven to 350 degrees F (preferably convection). Make an Italian meringue by combining sugar and water in a saucepan over high heat until it's 110 C (230 degrees F). At the same time, beat all the egg whites in the bowl of a stand mixer with a whisk attachment on medium speed. Meanwhile, mix the rest of the macaroon ingredients by combining almond flour and powdered sugar together. Make a well in the middle of the bowl and add all the egg whites. Mix by starting in the center and mixing towards the outside. Set aside. Finish the Italian meringue when the egg whites are at "soft peak" stage in the mixer by adding 1 teaspoon sugar and mixing 15 more seconds. Pour the heated sugar mixture into the beating egg whites, slowly to make the meringue. Continue beating until it's at room temperature, 5 more minutes.
• When the meringue is at room temperature, combine it with the almond paste mixture, a third at a time. Continue to add meringue until the batter forms ribbons. The mixture shouldn't be too stiff or too loose and you may not need all of the meringue. Using the tip of a knife, add a small amount of food coloring, a little at a time. Place macaroon mixture into a piping bag and squeeze a little into the bowl to remove air at the tip. Prepare a baking sheet with parchment paper, then draw rings on the paper to use as guides for the macaroon size. Pipe onto the baking sheet by starting in the center and pushing up, staying inside the ring. Repeat until all of the rings are filled. Bake 12 minutes until shiny with a little "neck" on the outside.
• For the buttercream: In a saucepan over high heat, add sugar and water and bring to a boil until thermometer reaches 120 degrees C. Meanwhile, place egg whites in the bowl of a stand mixer fitted with a whisk attachment and beat on high. When egg whites are firm and sugar syrup has reached 120 degrees C, slowly pour the sugar mixture into the egg whites and continue beating until it cools down to room temperature, 5 minutes. Slow down the mixer and add butter, a little at a time. If at any point the mixture looks broken, increase the speed and beat to re-emulsify it, then reduce the speed and continue adding the butter. Continue whipping until it's the texture of butter cream. If the buttercream is too loose to hold it's shape, it should be refrigerated for up to a few hours to harden, then beaten again to return to the proper consistency. Place 1 cup of butter cream into a bowl and fold in the jam. Place the buttercream into a piping bag with tip and pipe the cream onto the center of a macaroon (using the same technique as the macaroons). Sandwich together and enjoy. Note: The buttercream can be stored in a covered container in the refrigerator for up to 5 days or frozen for up to 1 month; defrost frozen buttercream in the refrigerator before using. Thirty minutes before using the buttercream, place it in the bowl of a mixer fitted with the paddle attachment and allow to soften. Then mix on low speed to return the buttercream to the proper consistency.

CHOCOLATE AND RASPBERRY MACAROON BARS

Steps:

• Preheat oven to 350°F.
• Butter and flour a 13 x 9 inch Pyrex baking dish.
• Melt butter with chocolate over low heat.
• Beat in ½ cup sugar and egg.
• Stir in 1 tsp of vanilla, the flour and a pinch of salt.
• Spread mixture in prepared pan and bake for 15 minutes.
• Let cool 5 minutes.
• Whisk liqueur into jam until smooth and spread over chocolate layer to with a ½ inch of the edge of pan.
• Increase oven temperature to 375 degrees F.
• In processor, grind hazelnuts fine with remaining sugar and salt.
• Add whites and remaining vanilla and blend.
• Spoon carefully over jam topping, covering it completely.
• Bake 25-30 minutes, or until top is firm to touch and tester comes out clean.
• Let cool.
• Cut into 36 bars.