Sweet and Simple: Cranberry Crumb Bars
By: Amy Jeanroy
Published: February 13, 2014

The perfect winter dessert, these cranberry crumb bars warm or cooled. Either way, they are divine. 
Cranberry Crumb Bars
1 cup white sugar
1 teaspoon baking powder
1/4 teaspoon salt
2 1/2 cups all purpose flour
1/2 cup almond meal*
1 cup cold butter (2 sticks)
1 egg
1/4 teaspoon cinnamon
juice of 1/2 of an orange
4 cups fresh cranberries
2/3 cup white sugar
1 teaspoon vanilla
1 tablespoon cornstarch
 
Directions

Preheat the oven to 375 degrees F. Butter a 9×13 inch pan.
In a medium bowl, mix together 1 cup sugar, flour, almond flour, salt and baking powder. Use a fork or pastry cutter to blend in the butter and egg. The dough will be crumbly. Alternatively, you can pulse the dry ingredients in a food processor with the butter until pebbly, and then mix in the egg until it all comes together. Pat half of the dough into the buttered pan.
In another bowl, stir together the sugar, cornstarch, vanilla, and orange juice. Mix in the cranberries. Sprinkle the cranberry mixture evenly over the dough in the pan.
Add 1/4 tsp cinnamon to the remaining dough, then crumble dough over the berries. Bake for 45-55 minutes, or until top is a light golden brown. Cool completely and chill in the refrigerator before cutting into squares. Store in an airtight container in the refrigerator.
Just toss almonds in a food processor until finely ground to make almond meal.