Almond, Apricot And Chocolate Decadence Bars (cookie Mix)

Total Time: 50 mins Preparation Time: 10 mins Cook Time: 40 mins

Ingredients

• 1 (17 1/2 ounce) package betty crocker sugar cookie mix
• 1/2 cup butter or 1/2 cup margarine, melted
• 1/2 teaspoon almond extract
• 1 egg, slightly beaten
• 1 (7 -8 ounce) package almond paste (not marzipan)
• 1/2 cup sugar
• 1 cup dried apricot (6 oz)
• 6 ounces cream cheese, softened
• 2 eggs
• 1 teaspoon lemon juice
• 1 (12 ounce) bag vanilla baking chips (2 cups)
• 2/3 cup whipping cream
• 1/2 cup sliced almonds

Recipe

• 1 heat oven to 375°f
• 2 in large bowl, stir cookie base ingredients until soft dough forms.
• 3 spread dough in bottom of ungreased 13x9-inch pan.
• 4 bake 10 to 15 minutes or until set.
• 5 cool 10 minutes.
• 6 meanwhile, in large bowl, beat almond paste and sugar with electric mixer on low speed until crumbly but blended.
• 7 add apricots; beat on low speed just until combined.
• 8 add cream cheese, 2 eggs and the lemon juice; beat on medium speed until well blended.
• 9 pour over warm cookie base.
• 10 bake 20 to 25 minutes or until set.
• 11 cool 30 minutes.
• 12 place baking chips in small bowl.
• 13 in 1-quart saucepan, heat whipping cream just to boiling over low heat, stirring occasionally; pour over baking chips.
• 14 let stand 1 minute.
• 15 stir until chips are melted and mixture is smooth.
• 16 pour and spread over filling.
• 17 sprinkle with almonds.
• 18 refrigerate about 2 hours or until set.
• 19 for bars, cut into 9 rows by 4 rows.
• 20 store covered in refrigerator.