Christmas Cherry Bars

Prepare a 20x20 cm (8x8-inch) baking pan by lightly greasing it or lining it with parchment paper, ensuring an overhang on two sides for effortless removal of the cooled bars. This parchment sling makes it simple to lift the entire batch out once baked.

In a medium-sized mixing bowl, thoroughly whisk together the all-purpose flour, granulated sugar, baking powder, and a pinch of salt until they are uniformly combined. This ensures an even distribution of leavening and seasoning throughout the dough.

Add the chilled, cubed unsalted butter to the dry ingredients. Using a pastry cutter or your clean fingertips, work the butter into the flour mixture. Continue until the mixture resembles coarse crumbs, similar to wet sand. The goal is to keep the butter cold to create a tender, flaky crust.

Incorporate the large egg yolk, vanilla extract, and almond extract into the crumb mixture. Mix gently until a soft dough begins to form. It might appear slightly crumbly at first, but it should hold together when lightly pressed between your fingers. Overmixing can lead to a tough crust, so mix just until combined.

Reserve approximately one-third of the prepared dough; this portion will be used later for the crumbly topping. Press the remaining two-thirds of the dough evenly into the bottom of your prepared baking pan. Use the back of a spoon or your fingertips to create a compact, uniform base.

Bake the pressed crust in the preheated oven for 10 to 12 minutes. The edges should appear lightly set and golden, but the center should still be pale. This partial bake, or blind baking, prevents the crust from becoming soggy once the filling is added. Remove the pan from the oven and allow the crust to cool slightly while you prepare the topping.

While the crust is cooling, in a small bowl, gently toss the roughly chopped dried tart cherries with the white chocolate chips. This step helps to prevent the white chocolate from clumping together and ensures an even distribution of both delicious fillings. Evenly sprinkle this fruit and chocolate mixture over the slightly warm, par-baked crust.

Take the reserved one-third of the dough and crumble it over the cherry and white chocolate layer. Break the dough into small, irregular pieces, allowing some of the vibrant filling to peek through. This creates a beautiful, rustic top crust that bakes up wonderfully golden and crisp.

Return the baking pan to the oven and continue to bake for an additional 20 to 25 minutes. The bars are ready when the crumb topping is beautifully golden brown, and the cherry and chocolate filling appears to be bubbling slightly around the edges. This indicates the filling is hot and the bars are cooked through.

Once baked, remove the pan from the oven and place it on a wire rack to cool completely. This crucial step allows the bars to set properly, making them much easier to cut. Once fully cooled, use the parchment paper overhang to gently lift the entire slab of bars out of the pan. Place them on a cutting board and slice into neat squares or rectangles. Enjoy your festive cherry bars!