White Chocolate & Cranberry Bars

White chocolate and red berries make an excellent combination. The creamy sweetness of white chocolate wonderfully counteracts the tart fruitiness of cranberries. Perfect to serve with an afternoon cup of tea, these white chocolate & cranberry bars offer the best of both worlds - chocolate, sweet fruit, and a satisfying crunch.

You will need:

• 10 oz. white chocolate, chopped roughly
• 1 cup sugar
• 1 cup packed brown sugar
• 2 eggs at room temperature
• 1 cup chopped almonds
• 1 cup (1 stick) unsalted butter at room temperature
• 1 teaspoon baking powder
• 1teaspoon baking soda
• 1 teaspoon salt
• 2 cups of AP unbleached flour

Extra butter for greasing - Extra flour for greasing  To Prepare:

1. Preheat the over to 350F
2. Select a square baking dish, grease it, and dust it with flour. (Note: Consider that this recipe makes about 20 bars in a 9" by 13" baking pan. If you want thinner bars, use a larger pan and reduce cooking time accordingly.)
3. In a medium bowl, combine the flour, baking soda, baking powder, and salt. Sift to remove any granules.
4. In a large bowl, combine the butter and sugars. Using a stand-up or handheld mixer on medium-high speed beat until creamed. Mixture should turn from yellow to white when ready.
5. Melt the chocolate and allow to cool. Incorporate it into the butter and sugar mixture.
6. Lower the speed on your mixer to medium and incorporate the eggs one at a time. Using eggs and butter that are at room temperature reduces the chance of the mixture curdling when the eggs are added. If this happens, set your mixer's speed on high to increase the temperature of the mixture, and beat for 3-5 minutes.
7. Set your speed to low and add the flour in three batches until it's just amalgamated.
8. Add the cranberries and almonds. Mix until they appear to be evenly distributed within the batter.
9. Using a spatula, pour the batter into the greased baking dish. Tap the pan lightly on the counter to remove any air bubbles that could be trapped within the mixture.
10. Bake for 40 minutes or until lightly golden. You should be able to see a small gap between the baking dish and the edge of the crust.
11. Let cool for at least an hour before cutting.