Shortbread Raspberry Bars from Latvia

unsalted butter

🥗Healthier: coconut oil

💰Cheaper: margarine

Coconut oil offers a dairy-free option and margarine is often less expensive.

granulated sugar

🥗Healthier: coconut sugar

💰Cheaper: brown sugar

Coconut sugar has a lower glycemic index, while brown sugar is usually cheaper.

fresh raspberries

🥗Healthier: frozen raspberries

💰Cheaper: canned raspberries

Frozen raspberries are often more affordable and have a longer shelf life.

all-purpose flour

🥗Healthier: whole wheat flour

💰Cheaper: cake flour

Whole wheat flour adds fiber, while cake flour is often less expensive.

Sift together 300 g (2 and 1/2 cups) of all-purpose flour with half a teaspoon of baking powder and half a teaspoon of baking soda.

Sift in 100 g (1 cup) of powdered sugar and whisk together with the zest of one lemon.

Add 200 g (14 tablespoons) of grated unsalted butter and work it into the dry ingredients until it resembles wet sand.

Add in 1 egg and half a teaspoon of vanilla extract, mixing roughly.

Start adding milk 1 tablespoon at a time until the dough comes together, totaling 4 tablespoons of milk.

Divide the dough in half, wrap in plastic wrap, and refrigerate for 1 hour.

Roll out the dough into a large rectangle on a floured piece of parchment until it is half a centimeter (1/4 inch) thick.

Place both pieces of dough onto separate baking sheets and bake in a preheated oven at 350°F (180°C) for 10 to 12 minutes or until the edges are lightly golden, rotating the sheets halfway through for even baking.

Let the baked layers cool completely before proceeding.

Spread 350 ml (12 oz) of seedless raspberry jam on what will be the bottom layer of the cake.

Carefully release the top layer from the parchment with an offset spatula and slide it onto the raspberry jam layer, gently pressing it down.

Trim the edges with a knife to create a clean rectangle.

For the icing, whisk together 150 g (1 and 1/3 cups) of powdered sugar with 2 tablespoons of melted butter and the juice of half a lemon, adding the lemon juice a tablespoon at a time until the desired consistency is reached.

Pour the icing onto the cake and spread it evenly, leaving the sides unfrosted.

For pink feathering, mix 50 g (half a cup) of powdered sugar with a couple of tablespoons of hot raspberry jam and lemon juice until it reaches tracing consistency.

Pipe the pink icing in strips and use a toothpick to create feathering designs.

Let the cake sit overnight before slicing to allow the raspberry jam to soak into the shortbread.

Cooking Techniques

Equipment Needed

Spice Level:

Allergens