My Grandmother's Christmas Cookies: Ožechové Řezy (Nut Bars)

My grandmother's Nut Bars are one of my favorites, second only to Bears' Paws.  It has a lot to offer: shortbread bottom, little kick of jam in the middle, and nutty meringue on the top! Mmmmmm........  Despite the layers, it's not very difficult to make.

You will need:
450g all-purpose flour
250g margarine
100g confectioner's sugar
3 egg yolks and 5 egg whites
pinch of salt
seedless red raspberry jam
200g granulated sugar
200g ground walnuts

For the dough, combine the flour, margarine, confectioner's sugar, and egg yolks, using a hand beater or a standing mixer with hook attachment on low.

Beat it until it all comes together as a big lump of dough.

Take it out and work it by hand for another minute.  Squeeze it into a log and place it into middle of a greased cookie sheet.

Press it down and spread it by hand until it covers the full cookie sheet.

Bake it at 350° for 15 minutes until almost, but not quite, fully baked, rotating it once halfway through.  

Then take your jam and whip it up a minute with a fork.  Drop a few spoonfuls of jam onto your dough and using an offset spatula, spread it in a very thin layer over the surface of the dough, up to about a 1/4 inch from the edge.  

Next, grind your granulated sugar together with your walnuts.  

Then, begin to beat the egg whites with a pinch of salt.  Beat them to almost hard peaks, then fold in your sugar and nut mixture.  

Once again, drop it by spoonfuls and then spread it almost to the edges of your jammy dough, using an offset spatula.  

Put it back in the oven at 350° for 15 minutes more.  Bake until the edges of the meringue has begun to turn brown, and the center has hardened slightly.  

Let it cool in the pan, then cut off the unattractive edges with a large, sharp knife.  

You can nibble on them while you work.  Then cut the nut bars into strips about 1/2 inch wide and an inch long.  

Let them sit in the open for the night, then box them up in the morning.  Scrumptious!!!