Crites Family Stuff

Ingredients for 24 servings

Jam:

• 1 lb rhubarb, trimmed, cut into 1 inch pieces
• .5 cup sugar
• .5 cup water
• 1 vanilla bean

Shortbread:

• 4 cups flour
• 2 tsp baking powder
• .25 tsp salt
• 1 lb unsalted butter, room temperature
• 4 egg yolks
• 2 cups sugar
• Powdered sugar for dusting

Steps

1. Make jam: Split vanilla bean and scrape seeds into a saucepan. Add rhubarb, sugar and water and bring to a simmer, stirring often until rhubarb softens and forms a soft mass, about 10 minutes. Remove and discard vanilla bean. Pour jam into a bowl and set aside. (Can use 1 cup of favorite jam.)
2. Make shortbread: Whisk together flour, baking powder and salt. Set aside. In a separate bowl, beat butter until pale and fluffy. Add yolks and sugar. Beat until sugar is dissolved and mixture is light. Add dry ingredients, mixing just until ingredients are incorporated. Divide dough in half and form into balls. Wrap in plastic and freeze for 30 minutes. Can be frozen up to 1 month-thaw in refrigerator overnight before using.
3. Preheat oven to 350F. Remove 1 ball from freezer and, using the large holes on a box grater, grate the dough into a 9x13 dish. Pat the dough gently into the corners. Spread with the jam. Evenly grate remaining dough over jam. Bake until golden brown, about 40 minutes. While still warm, dust with powdered sugar. Cool. Cut into bars.

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