Description
Bee Sting Bars are a delightful treat featuring a crumbly shortbread base topped with a luscious honey-almond caramelized glaze. This recipe combines buttery, sweet shortbread with a rich, nutty topping infused with honey and amaretto, baked to golden perfection. Perfect for dessert or a special snack, these bars offer a perfect balance of crunchy and sweet flavors.
Ingredients
Shortbread Base
- 12 tbsp unsalted butter, at room temperature
- 1/2 cup sugar
- 1/2 tsp vanilla extract
- 1/4 tsp salt
- 8.5 oz all-purpose flour (about 1.75 cups)
Almond Topping
- 6 tbsp unsalted butter
- 3 tbsp sugar
- 2 tbsp honey
- 2 tbsp amaretto
- 1 tsp vanilla extract
- 1.25 cups sliced almonds
Instructions
- Prepare the shortbread dough: Cream together the 12 tablespoons of room temperature butter and 1/2 cup sugar for a couple of minutes until well combined. Then add 1/2 teaspoon vanilla extract and 1/4 teaspoon salt, mixing them in thoroughly. Gradually add 8.5 ounces of flour and mix until just distributed; the dough will be very crumbly but should be able to be pressed firmly into the pan.
- Refrigerate the dough: Press the crumbly dough firmly into an 8×8 inch baking pan and refrigerate it for 30 minutes to solidify.
- Preheat the oven: While the dough chills, preheat your oven to 350°F (175°C).
- Prepare the almond topping: In a medium saucepan, combine 6 tablespoons butter, 3 tablespoons sugar, 2 tablespoons honey, 2 tablespoons amaretto, 1 teaspoon vanilla extract, and 1.25 cups sliced almonds. Bring the mixture to a full boil over medium-high heat, cooking it for about 2 minutes until thickened, then remove from heat.
- Assemble and bake: Pour the hot almond topping evenly over the chilled shortbread base. Bake in the preheated oven for 20 minutes until the topping is golden and bubbly.
- Cool and serve: Allow the bars to cool completely in the pan so they set properly. Once cooled, cut into 16 squares and enjoy your Bee Sting Bars.
Notes
- Ensure butter for the shortbread is at room temperature to make creaming easier.
- Press the shortbread dough firmly into the pan to avoid it falling apart after baking.
- Be careful not to overcook the almond topping syrup; just a 2-minute boil is sufficient to thicken it properly.
- Allow bars to cool completely before cutting to prevent them from crumbling.
- For a nut-free variation, substitute almonds with toasted coconut flakes and omit amaretto.
- Prep Time: 20 minutes
- Cook Time: 20 minutes
- Category: Dessert
- Method: Baking
- Cuisine: European
