Nutella Jam Snow Bars-12 Days of Christmas Treats

It is snowing here today so Nutella Jam Snow Bars seem like an appropriate recipe to post.  These are rich, showy cookies on a cookie plate, but the recipe is very versatile.  The jam can be any flavor that you like.  Don’t like Nutella, although people who don’t probably aren’t reading this post, leave it out.

Eggs for cookies are best used at room temperature, but did you know that eggs separate better when they are cold.  It is best, then, to separate the eggs as soon as they are removed from the refrigerator and then let them come to room temperature.  Also, it is best to separate the eggs individually in a small bowl that is not the mixing bowl so that if a yolk breaks it doesn’t contaminate all the egg whites.  Ask me how I how about that one.  Egg shells are so thin nowadays that I prefer to use an egg separator and use a Tupperware one I have had for years.  The cost for a separator is minimal, and I suggest adding one to your kitchen tools if you don’t have one.

I warm both the Nutella and the jam for one to two minutes in the microwave at 50 percent power.  This makes them easier to spread.

Let these pan of cookies cool completely before you try to cut them and then cut with a knife that has been dipped in hot water.  You may have to clean the knife and dip in the hot water more than once.

I have had the recipe for a long time, and I think it originally came from Crisco, but I use butter instead.  The original recipe did not have Nutella, but did have coconut which I did not use this time.

Note:  the photo shows apricot jam, but I used raspberry.  I only had one jar of raspberry so didn't have a jar for the photo

Nutella Jam Snow Bars
3/4 c. butter, softened
1/3 c. sugar
1/4 t. salt
2 eggs, separated
1 1/2 c. all-purpose flour
1 c. Nutella
1 1/4 c. jam, flavor of choice (raspberry and apricot are particularly good with Nutella)
1/2 c. sugar

In a mixing bowl cream together the butter and sugar until fluffy.  Add salt and egg yolks and beat well.  Stir in flour until dough is well blended.  Turn dough into a foil-lined 9x13-inch baking pan.  Pat and spread out evenly.  Bake at 350 degrees for 15 minutes.  Meanwhile, put Nutella in a glass measuring cup and microwave 1 to 2 minutes at 50 percent power, doing 1 minute at a time.  Stir between heatings.  Place jam in a microwave safe dish and microwave 1 to 2 minutes at 50 percent power, doing 1 minute at a time.  Stir until smooth.    Place egg whites in the bowl of an electric mixer and mix until foamy; very gradually add the 1/2 c. sugar, beating until stiff peaks form.  Set aside.  When crust is ready, remove it from the oven and spread evenly with the Nutella using a spatula.  Spread jam over the Nutella.  Spread the beaten egg whites over the jam smoothing evenly.  Return the pan to oven and bake an additional 25 minutes until top just begins to brown.  Remove pan to a wire rack and cool completely.  When cool, cut into bars with a knife that has been dipped in hot water.  You may have to clean and dip the knife in hot water more than once.  Makes 25 bars.  Store in single layers with waxed paper between layers.