Apricot-Orange Shortbread Bars

While catching up on all the food blogging that went on while I was away for Thanksgiving, I started craving something sweet to go with my coffee. I had read the December issue of Bon Appetit during the trip, how could I possibly have overlooked a recipe that Anna would end up calling "pure cookie nirvana"???

I went back to the magazine and sure enough, the recipe is there. Somehow, they hadn't seemed enticing at the time, but reading about them on Cookie Madness made me rush to the store for almond paste. Yipes, I had no idea the stuff was over $5 a tube. Now I need another recipe to use the rest of it.

This is a rich, delicious shortbread! Very buttery. The apricot and Grand Marnier filling is scary good, too. These really are delicious with coffee. I'm sending a few to work with Gary and will freeze the rest.

• Apricot-Orange Shortbread Bars (Bon Appetit, December 2005, p. 145-146)