Mabrousheh (Apricot Crumble Bars)
Mabrousheh are the most delicious crumble bars filled with apricot jam! The tender orange-scented shortbread crust is topped with your favorite jam. Use the remaining shortbread dough for the grated topping!
Servings: 20
Calories: 247kcal
Ingredients
- 2½ cups all purpose flour
- 1½ teaspoon baking powder
- ½ teaspoon kosher salt
- ¼ teaspoon ground cinnamon
- 1 ½ cups desiccated coconut
- 1 cup salted butter softened to room temp
- ¾ cup cane sugar or granulated
- 2 large eggs
- 1½ teaspoon vanilla extract
- ½ teaspoon almond extract or more vanilla
- 1 tablespoon freshly grated orange zest
- 8-10 ounce jar apricot preserves or other fruit jam, see notes
- 1 tablespoon powdered sugar for topping
Instructions
- PREP: Position a rack in the middle of the oven and preheat the oven to 350ºF. Line a 9x13 baking pan with parchment paper and set aside. In a bowl, sift together the flour, baking powder, and cinnamon. Add kosher salt and coconut, whisk and set aside for now.
- WHIP: In the bowl of an electric mixer fitted with the paddle attachment, beat the butter and sugar together for 5 minutes until pale and fluffy. Then add the eggs one at a time allowing each to incorporated before adding the next. Add vanilla, almond extract, and orange zest and continue to mix until combined.
- ADD DRY INGREDIENTS: Gradually add the flour mixture to the stand mixer with it running on low speed until a dough forms. Don’t over mix.
- CHILL THE DOUGH: grab a sheet of plastic wrap, remove ¼ of the mix and make a thick disk. Place it on the plastic wrap and pop the reserved dough in the freezer for 15-20 minutes to firm up.
- PRESS: the remaining dough into the parchment lined baking dish into a flat, even layer.
- SPREAD: If your jam is stiff, zap in the microwave for 20 seconds to help loosen and spread this easier. Drop dollops or small pieces of the apricot preserves over the shortbread layer and spread. You’ll want to leave a small ¼-inch border so that the jam doesn’t burn on the sides.
- GRATE: When the frozen dough is cold, using the larger side of a box grater, grate the rest of the frozen dough over the bars and spread it evenly over the surface of the jam. Alternately, you can break it with your hands into small pea-sized pieces and drop it over the preserves if you don’t have a grater.
- BAKE: Bake the bars in the oven for 25-28 minutes on the middle rack or until the top is slightly golden brown on top. You can broil the bars on the top rack for 30-45 seconds to brown the top if need be, but I didn't. Let the bars cool for 30 minutes in the pan before attempting to remove. Cut into bars and dust with powdered sugar if desired.
Notes
- Preserves quantity: I’ve made this bars several times and prefer them less sweet, so I use 8 ounces of 1 cups fruit jam. Feel free to use up to 10 ounces if you like your desserts on the sweeter side!
Nutrition
Calories: 247kcal | Carbohydrates: 29g | Protein: 3g | Fat: 14g | Fiber: 2g | Sugar: 13g
