Shortbread Cherry Bars

Last year I used a brand of cherries in a Black Forest Trifle I made. I was lucky to spot them again in the job lot store I was shopping in. Sometimes in those stores you can find some real bargains when it comes to food items. I picked up a 12 ounce bag of macadamia nuts for $5.99! In our local store that amount costs $10.99.

I decided I wanted to make a layered bar dessert and came up with the idea to use a shortbread crust and this delicious cherry filling, and top it all with some streusel.

• 2 sticks softened butter
• 2 cups sifted flour + extra for rolling out the dough
• 1/2 cup confectioners sugar

1. Place the butter in the bowl of your stand mixer and beat until it's light and creamy.
2. Slowly add in the confectioners sugar a little at a time until fully incorporated.
3. Slowly add in the flour a little at a time until fully incorporated, scraping the sides of the bowl as necessary.
4. Place the dough in a 7 1/2 x 11 or slightly larger baking dish. Press down and up the sides slightly and make as even as possible.
5. Chill the dough for 15 minutes.
6. Preheat your oven to 375°.
7. Bake the chilled dough for 15 minutes. Remove from the oven.
8. Spread the cherry filling over the dough.
9. Top with some streusel. Pop it back in the oven and bake for about 55 minutes more. The shortbread when pricked with a toothpick should come out clean.
10. Remove, cool and cut your bars.

Recipe for the streusel makes quite a bit but you can store it in a zip lock bag in your freezer for future uses.
For the streusel:

• 1 1/4 cup light brown sugar
• 3/4 cup flour
• 1 stick butter - cold - and cut in small pieces
• 1 cup pecans - chopped
• 1 tbsp. cinnamon

1. In a bowl mix the brown sugar, flour and cinnamon.
2. Work the butter pieces in until crumbly using a fork or pastry cutter.
3. Add in the chopped nuts and mix well.