Apricot Bars with Cardamom-Butter Glaze

 

1

large orange

2

cups chopped dried apricots

1/4

cup granulated sugar

2/3

cup water

2

tablespoons butter or margarine

1

pouch (1 lb 1.5 oz) Betty Crocker® sugar cookie mix

1

teaspoon ground cardamom

1/2

cup cold butter or margarine

1/4

teaspoon almond extract

1

egg, slightly beaten

1/2

cup sliced almonds, coarsely chopped

1/2

cup powdered sugar

2

tablespoons butter or margarine, melted

1/4

teaspoon ground cardamom

1/4

teaspoon almond extract

1

to 2 teaspoons warm water

• 1 Heat oven to 350°F. Spray bottom and sides of 13x9-inch pan with cooking spray. Grate 2 teaspoons peel and squeeze juice from orange. In 2-quart saucepan, heat orange juice, orange peel, apricots, granulated sugar and 2/3 cup water to boiling over medium heat, stirring occasionally. Reduce heat to medium-low; simmer 15 minutes, stirring occasionally. Remove from heat. Add 2 tablespoons butter; stir until melted. Mash filling with fork or potato masher until fairly smooth. Set aside.
• 2 In large bowl, mix cookie mix and 1 teaspoon cardamom. Cut in 1/2 cup butter, using pastry blender or fork, until mixture is crumbly. Add almond extract and egg; toss with fork to combine. Reserve 1 cup crumb mixture.
• 3 Press remaining crumb mixture in bottom of pan. Bake 15 minutes.
• 4 Spoon filling evenly over warm cookie base. Stir almonds into reserved crumb mixture; sprinkle over filling. Bake 25 to 30 minutes longer or until topping is light golden brown. Cool 10 minutes.
• 5 In small bowl, stir glaze ingredients, using enough warm water until glaze is thin enough to drizzle. Place glaze in small resealable plastic food-storage bag; seal bag. Cut off small tip from one corner of bag. Squeeze bag to drizzle glaze over warm bars. Cool completely, about 1 hour. For bars, cut into 8 rows by 4 rows. Store covered at room temperature.