Raspberry Filled White Chocolate Bars...The Great Food Blogger Cookie Swap

Each year I attend a number of cookie exchanges and always come home with at least one new, spectacular recipe.  My sweet friend and neighbor, Sally, baked these amazing bars for one of our holiday exchanges a few years back. They combine some of my favorite flavors: white chocolate, almond and raspberries.  When I was contacted about joining in on The Great Food Blogger Cookie Swap this year, I had to come up with a favorite cookie recipe to secretly send to 3 other food bloggers.  This recipe came to mind quickly.  Jen, Jennifer and Bonnie, hope you love these as much as I do!


My cookie recipients were:

Jen of Beantown Baker
Jennifer of Peanut Butter and Peppers
Bonnie of Chrysanthemum

And I received some fabulous treats from:

Julie of Peanut Butter and Julie (Lemon Glazed Cranberry Biscotti)
Kristin of Per L'Amore Di Cibo (Red Velvet Cookies)
Marie/Reetsyburger on Twitter (Buttery sugar cookies) 

PS...I entered these in Saveur's Home Cook Challenge. I'd love you to vote for them here.

Raspberry Filled White Chocolate Bars...from my friend, Sally, via the Pillsbury Bake Off

1/4 cup sliced almonds
1/2 cup butter
12 ounces white chocolate, chopped (about 2 cups total), divided
2 eggs
1/2 cup sugar
1 cup flour
1/2 teaspoon salt
1 teaspoon almond extract
3/4 cup raspberry jam (I used a combination of red and black raspberry jams)


Preheat oven to 325º.  Line an 8 x 8 inch pan with non-stick foil or grease and flour pan.


Toast the almonds by cooking over low heat in a saucepan, stirring frequently, till lightly colored and fragrant.  Set aside.


Melt butter with 1 cup of the white chocolate chunks in microwave.  Start, stop and stir every 30 seconds till smooth and melted.  Set aside.


Beat eggs till light and foamy.  Add sugar and continue to beat till lemon colored.  Stir in white chocolate mixture.  Add flour, salt and almond extract and mix just till combined.  Spread half of dough into prepared pan and bake 15-20 minutes till light brown.


Add remaining chocolate chunks to remaining batter.


Carefully spread jam over warm crust (gently warm jam if it isn't a spreadable consistency).  Spoon remaining batter over jam.  Some jam may show through batter.  Sprinkle with almonds.  Bake for 30-40 more minutes or till toothpick inserted in center comes out clean.


Cool completely.  Cut into bars.


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