Hungarian Shortbread

Source: Baking with Julia by Julia Child (Recipe by Gale Gand)
Yield: 24 bars

4 c all purpose flour
2 t baking powder
1/4 t salt
4 sticks unsalted butter, softened
4 large egg yolks
2 c granulated sugar
1 recipe Rhubarb Compote (see below) or 1 c of your favorite jam/preserves
Powdered Sugar, for dusting

Whisk together flour, baking powder, and salt. Set aside. Cream the butter until it is pale and fluffy. Add egg yolks and sugar and beat until light. Reduce speed to low and add flour mixture, mixing just until incorporated.

Turn dough out on to surface and divide in half. Shape each half into a bowl and wrap in plastic. Freeze for about 30 minutes or until firm.

Preheat oven to 350. Remove one ball of dough from the freezer and using the side of a box grater with the largest holes, grate the dough into a 9X13 pan. Pat the dough gently to get into the corners (don't press it down) and spread with rhubarb compote. Grate the second dough ball over the compote and press lightly to distribute it evenly. Bake for 45 minutes or until golden brown and delicious. Remove from oven and immediately dust generously with powdered sugar. Cool completely on a rack then cut into 1.5 x 3 inch bars. Shortbread will keep for two days covered at room temperature or wrap tightly and freeze for up to a month (I'm thinking my waistline will thank me for either taking the latter route or bringing this into work).

Rhubarb Compote
Yield: About 1 cup

1 pound rhubarb, trimmed and cut into 1" pieces
1/2 c sugar
1/2 c water
1/2 vanilla bean, split

Place first three ingredients into a medium saucepan. Scrape out the vanilla bean and add the pulp and pod to the mixture. Bring to a simmer over low heat, stirring often until the rhubarb softens and melts together. Remove from heat and discard the vanilla bean. Cool to room temperature.