the 34 cookies of Christmas: day 3

The third cookie we wish to highlight is a three layer"bar" cookie we tried a few years ago to please our clients with a weakness for apricots. Having tried other apricot bars in the past, we were pleasantly surprised by the flaky texture and sweet taste that these cookies had to offer. The bottom layer is comprised of a flaky butter shortbread. On top of that is a filling made with three kinds of apricots-- fresh, dried, and preserved-- mixed with some spices and a dash of our homemade lemon shu (a Japanese liquor fermented with fresh lemons and rock sugar for over a year). To complete this delictable treat, we top the sweet fruit with an almond studded streusal topping, rich with almond paste and crunchy slivered and toasted almonds. A simple confectioner's glaze adds smooth vanilla high notes, as well as visual contrast to make these fruit bars a surefire crowd pleaser!