Double-Cherry Streusel Bars

This is the recipe for the apricot bars that were brought to Saturday's meeting. Note I didn't add any dried fruit to the apricot version.

The recipe as posted on Epicurious.com can be found here.

Double Cherry Streusel Bars
Filling:

4 ounces dried cherries

15 ounces tart red cherry preserves (or flavor of your choice)
1 tablespoon amaretto

Dough and Streusel:
Nonstick vegetable oil spray
274 grams original flour mix*
30 grams sweet rice flour

1/4 heaping teaspoon xanthan gum
2/3 cup sugar
1/2 teaspoon salt
3/4 cup (1 1/2 sticks) chilled unsalted butter, cut into 1/2-inch cubes
1 3/4 teaspoons vanilla extract
3 tablespoons whole milk

1 cup (packed) sweetened flaked coconut (about 3 ounces)
3/4 cup sliced almonds (about 3 ounces)

For filling:
Combine dried cherries, preserves, and liquor in food processor; blend to chunky puree. (Filling can be made 1 day ahead.
Transfer to bowl; cover and refrigerate.)

For dough and streusel:
Preheat oven to 375°F. Line 13x9x2-inch metal baking pan with heavy-duty foil, leaving overhang. Spray foil with nonstick spray.

Combine flour, sugar, and salt in processor; blend 5 seconds. Add butter and vanilla extract.

Blend, using on/off turns, until mixture resembles coarse meal. Add milk and blend, using on/off turns, until mixture comes together in small clumps. Transfer 1 cup (packed) mixture to medium bowl and reserve for streusel. Blend remaining mixture in processor until large moist clumps form. Gather dough together in large ball.

Press dough over bottom of prepared baking pan; pierce all over with fork. Bake dough until golden, about 17-20 minutes; cool crust 15 minutes. Maintain oven temperature.

Add sweetened coconut flakes and sliced almonds to reserved 1 cup dough. Mix dough with fork, breaking streusel topping into small clumps.

Spread cherry filling over baked crust. Sprinkle streusel topping over. Bake cookie until cherry filling is bubbling and streusel topping is golden brown, about 30 minutes. Cool cookie in pan on rack. Using foil overhang as aid, lift cookie from pan. Peel off foil and discard**. Cut cookie lengthwise into thirds, then cut crosswise into eighths, forming total of 24 bars. (Bars can be made 2 days ahead. Store bars in airtight container and refrigerate.)

* Gluten Free Flour Mix was made of 6 cups brown rice flour, 2 cups potato starch and 1 cup tapioca starch.

** The filling boils and sticks terribly to the foil. After growing frustration, I cut a 1/2 inch edge off of the perimeter of the bars to remove the sticky portion. I was then able to cut them into pieces and lift them from the foil.