Almond Honey Squares

Ingredients

• 2 cups all-purpose flour
• 1/2 teaspoon baking powder
• 1/4 teaspoon salt
• 3/4 cup butter, softened
• 1 cup granulated sugar
• 2 eggs
• 2 teaspoons almond extract
• 1/2 cup honey
• 2 tablespoons sliced almonds

Directions

1. Heat the oven to 400ºF (200ºC).
2. Fit aluminum foil into a 9-inch (23cm) square baking pan, bringing it up along the sides so you can lift the bars out later. Coat the foil with nonstick spray, or rub it lightly with softened butter.
3. For the crust, put the almond flour, all-purpose flour, 3 tablespoons sugar, and salt in a food processor and pulse briefly to combine. Add the 6 tablespoons (90g) cubed butter and pulse again, stopping when the mixture looks like very coarse cornmeal. Add the egg yolk, water, and vanilla, then process just until the dough gathers together. If the dough seems too dry to come together, work in another tablespoon of water. You can also do this by hand, using a pastry blender or fork to work the butter into the dry mixture.
4. Press the dough across the bottom of the prepared pan in an even layer. Bake until the surface turns golden, about 12 minutes.
5. As the crust bakes, prepare the topping. Melt the 4 tablespoons (60g) butter in a small saucepan, then stir in the sugar, honey, orange zest, vanilla, and salt until the mixture is smooth. Take the pan off the heat, add the sliced almonds, and stir until the nuts are well coated in the honey-butter mixture.
6. Spoon the almond topping over the warm baked crust and smooth it into an even layer. Return the pan to the oven for 10 to 12 minutes, until the almond topping is deeply golden. Cool the bars, then lift them from the pan using the foil and cut them into squares or rectangles.