Green Tea Almond-Raspberry Rainbow Bars

Inspired by the classic Italian rainbow cookies, these treats swap the usual food coloring for matcha green tea powder, which gives one layer a brilliant green hue and a woodsy aroma that tastes great with almond. Raspberry jam creates the red layers and lends a fruity tang. Rice flour keeps the almond layers light and adds a subtle sweetness. These bars require a lot of steps, but they freeze beautifully, so you can make them ahead of time.

TIP: You want regular Asian rice flour here, not sticky rice or glutinous rice flour. The Thai Three Elephants brand is readily available in Asian markets; it comes in clear plastic bags with red print. If you can’t find Asian rice flour, stone-ground rice flour works too. Asian rice flour is ground much more finely; if you substitute a regular rice flour, the cakey layers may be gritty.

makes 4 dozen

gluten-free

1. Position a rack in the center of the oven and preheat to 350°F. Butter a 9-by-13-inch baking pan. Line the bottom and sides with parchment paper and butter the paper. If you have one or two more pans of the same size, butter and line them as well.

2. Whisk the rice flour, almond flour, and salt in a small bowl. Beat the egg whites in a large bowl with an electric mixer on medium-high speed until soft peaks form. Gradually add ¼ cup (52 g) of the sugar, then beat until medium peaks form. Transfer to another bowl.

3. Put the almond paste and the remaining ¾ cup (156 g) sugar in the bowl (no need to wash) and beat on medium speed until the mixture resembles coarse meal. Scrape the bowl. Add the butter and beat on low speed, then gradually increase the speed to medium-high to incorporate the butter. Continue beating until the mixture is pale and fluffy. Scrape the bowl. Beat in the egg yolks on medium-high speed, then the almond extract, until fully incorporated. Scrape the bowl. Turn the speed to low and gradually add the flour mixture, beating just until all streaks of flour disappear. Fold half of the beaten egg whites into the almond mixture to loosen it, then gently fold in the remaining whites just until no white streaks remain.

4. Transfer one third of the batter to a medium bowl. Fold in the matcha until the batter is evenly green. Transfer to the prepared pan and gently spread in an even layer with an offset spatula or a silicone spatula. If you have another prepared pan, add half the remaining batter to it and spread evenly. Or if you have two other pans, divide the remaining batter between them and spread evenly. Refrigerate the other pan(s) and/or bowl.

5. Bake the green layer until a tester inserted in the center comes out clean, 12 to 15 minutes. Repeat with the other two layers if they’re already in the pans. If not, place the pan with the green layer on a wire rack. Using the sides of the parchment, carefully slide the green layer out of the pan on the parchment onto the rack. Wash the pan, and run under cold water until cool. Dry well, then butter, line with parchment, and butter the paper as directed on page 176. Transfer half of the remaining batter to the pan and bake as directed; refrigerate the remaining batter until ready to bake. Cool the layers completely on the parchment on wire racks.

6. To assemble the bars, place a sheet of parchment over one white layer and put a large baking sheet on top of the paper. Grip the sheet and rack together, without squeezing the layer, and quickly and carefully flip them. Remove the rack and top sheet of parchment.

7. Spread ¼ cup (73 g) jam evenly over the layer, then invert the green layer on top of it. Remove the parchment from the green layer and spread the remaining ¼ cup (73 g) jam on top of it. Invert the remaining white layer on top and remove the parchment. Cover with plastic wrap and refrigerate overnight to let the flavors and layers fuse together.

8. Unwrap the bars. Melt the chocolate in a heatproof bowl set over a saucepan of simmering water, stirring until smooth. (Don’t let the bottom of the bowl touch the water.) Remove from the heat and wipe the bottom of the bowl dry, then drizzle half of the chocolate on top of the bars and quickly spread it evenly with an offset or a silicone spatula. Refrigerate until firm, about 10 minutes.

9. Place a sheet of parchment paper over the chocolate layer and a large baking sheet on top. Grip the pans together and quickly and carefully flip them. Remove the pan and top sheet of parchment. If the remaining chocolate has hardened, stir it over simmering water again until smooth. Drizzle it on top of the bars and very quickly spread it in an even layer. Refrigerate until firm, about 10 minutes.

10. Use a long serrated knife to trim the edges of the bars. (Eat the trimmings!) Cut lengthwise into quarters, then cut each strip crosswise into 1-inch-wide bars.

MAKE AHEAD

The bars will keep at room temperature or in the refrigerator for up to 1 week or in the freezer for up to 1 month. If you’re stacking the bars, separate the layers with wax paper.