Strawberry Frangipane Shortbread Bars

I really really didn’t expect these to turn out as delicious as they did and I love it when a random idea actually works out so well! Fresh strawberries shine bright in these crisp shortbread bars with a layer of almond frangipane that sounds fancy but takes minutes to make and adds tons of flavour. They’re absolutely irresistible and while this is a small-batch recipe, I honestly think doubling it is the smarter thing to do!

• 1/2 cup plus 1 tbsp all-purpose flour (70 gms)
• 2 tbsps caster sugar
• 1/4 tsp salt if using unsalted butter
• 1/4 tsp vanilla extract
• 1/4 cup butter cut into cubes, slightly softened but still cold (55 gms)

• 3 tbsps butter, at room temperature (45 gms)
• 1/4 cup caster sugar (50 gms)
• 1/2 cup finely ground almonds (40 gms) (from 1/3 cup whole almonds)
• 1 egg, at room temperature (I have not tried substitues)
• 1 tsp vanilla extract
• 1 tbsp all-purpose flour
• 6 to 8 fresh strawberries, sliced