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Slices "Shkolnoe" (Russian shortbread jam bars)
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Slices "Shkolnoe" (Russian shortbread jam bars)

Heavenly tender shortcrust pastry that melts in your mouth and sweet jam filling make the slices "Shkolnoe" one of the most delicious Russian pastries – whether covered with sugar glaze or sprinkled with crumbs. At the same time, it is also the easiest dessert to make yourself very quickly from a few common ingredients. It's no wonder that shortbread jam bars were so popular in the Soviet Union. You can make them yourself according to this easy recipe.
Course Dessert
Cuisine Russian
Prep Time 30 minutes
Cook Time 15 minutes
Cooling time 1 hour 40 minutes
Servings 10 pieces

Ingredients

for the dough

  • 250 g butter or margarine (room temperature)
  • 120 g sugar
  • 2 eggs (warm)
  • approx. 520 g flour
  • 15 g baking powder
  • vanilla
  • 1 pinch of salt

for the filling

  • 200 g solid jam

for the glaze (alternative)

  • 200 g sugar
  • 70 ml water
  • 1 tbsp lemon juice
  • 1 tsp cocoa powder

Instructions

Preparation of the dough

  • Beat soft butter or margarine, sugar, vanilla and salt for about 4 - 5 minutes until creamy white mass.
  • Add eggs and beat until creamy and fluffy.
  • Add baking powder and flour in batches, a little at a time, and knead quickly and briefly to form a very soft dough. (Note my tips and tricks for this here at the top of the post.) Cover the dough in the mixing bowl and chill for 40 minutes.
  • Roll out the dough on a sheet of baking paper into a square, about the size of the baking sheet (about 30 x 40 cm in size), pull the baking paper with the rolled out dough onto the baking sheet and chill it like this for 1 hour.
  • Bake the shortcrust pastry base in a preheated oven at 180 °C top and bottom heat for about 10 minutes and then let it cool well, preferably overnight.

Preparation of the shortbread bars with breadcrumbs

  • Cut an approx. 0.5 - 1 cm border off the shortcrust pastry base on all sides and crumble this border finely.
  • Cut the shortcrust pastry base into two equal parts. Spread one part of it with half of the jam, carefully place the second part on top and spread it with the remaining jam.
  • Sprinkle the top of the "cake" with the crumbs, let it rest at room temperature for about 2 hours and then cut it into 10 equal-sized slices.

Preparation of the glaze (alternative to crumbs)

  • Put sugar and water in a small saucepan, bring to a boil over medium heat, stirring constantly to dissolve the sugar before it boils, then simmer until the sugar syrup reaches 110 °C.
  • Add lemon juice, stir briefly, and continue to simmer (stop stirring) until the syrup reaches 115°C. Immediately remove it from the heat and let it cool down to about 40 °C in a cold water bath.
  • Whip the cooled transparent sugar syrup with kneading picks to a snow-white, firm sugar glaze
  • Cut the shortcrust pastry base into two equal parts, spread one part with the jam and carefully place the second part on top.
  • Heat the glaze in a water bath until it thickens.
  • Put about 1 tablespoon of the glaze in a small mixing bowl, add cocoa powder and stir. (If the chocolate glaze is too dry, you can add a few drops of water. Don't overdo it with the water, though).
  • Pour the remaining white glaze over the "shortcake" and paint thin stripes on it from the chocolate glaze.
  • Let the "cake" rest for about 2 hours at room temperature and cut it into 10 equal-sized slices.

Notes

  • To give the dough the right consistency, add flour in batches. The amount of flour specified in the recipe may vary. The dough must be very soft, not sticky and not too firm.
  • Do not knead the dough too long, but only briefly and quickly.
  • Do not bake the shortcrust pastry for too long. After baking, it will have a very light color.
  • Be very careful with the shortbread base, as it is very delicate.
  • Use a firm and tart jam.
  • If the glaze has become too dry, add a few drops of water. Don't overdo it with the water, though, or the glaze will be too runny and translucent.
  • The preparation time is given for the shortbread jam bars with crumbs.
  • The time for cooling the shortcrust pastry base is not included in the preparation time.
  • The time to rest the slices is not included in the preparation time.
  • Note the detailed tips and tricks for making the Russian shortbread jam bars at the top of the post.