FOR THE CRANBERRY LAYER:

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24 oz (2 bags)) fresh or frozen (thawed) cranberries

1 ½ cup granulated sugar

4 lemons, for seating (can be used for their juice later)

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FOR THE CRUST:

1 ½ cups all-purpose flour

1 cup unsalted butter (2 sticks)

1 cup powdered sugar

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FOR THE LEMON LAYER:

2 cups (400g) granulated sugar

6 Tablespoons (46g) all-purpose flour

6 large eggs

1 cup (240ml) lemon juice (about 4 lemons' worth)

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FOR THE CRANBERRY LAYER

1. Combine the cranberries, sugar and 3 tablespoons water in a medium saucepan. Zest 2 of the lemons directly into the saucepan; reserve the lemons.

2. Bring to a boil over medium-high heat, stirring occasionally, until the berries burst and the mixture is jammy, 7 to 9 minutes. Remove from the heat and reserve,

   FOR THE CRUST

3. Preheat the oven to 350°F. Line an 9x13 baking dish with either partchment paper or tinfoil (makes removing the bars and cutting them easier).

4. Mix flour, butter, and sugar together in a bowl until the mixture resembles moist sand. Firmly press the mixture into the bottom of the prepared pan to form an even layer.

5. Bake until the shortbread appears brown along the edges and does not stick to the tines of a fork, ~25 minutes

   FOR THE LEMON LAYER

6. Sift the sugar and flour together in a large bowl. Whisk in the eggs, then the lemon juice until completely combined.

7. Pour filling over warm crust. Bake the bars for 22-26 minutes or until the center is relatively set and no longer jiggles. (Give the pan a light tap with an oven mitt to test.)

8. Remove bars from the oven and let cool.

These bars are significantly easier to cut when they've been chilled in a fridge for a while first. Use a towel or cloth to wipe your knife after each cut, making sure you cut all the way through the shortcake layer.