Orange and marmalade bars with almond crust and a certain British actor

Right after I started watching "Game of Thrones" (I have just finished the first season, so no spoilers, please), I accessed Sean Bean's profile on IMDb to check on his age, because on the show he just did not look as his regular charming and handsome self. :) The text says he's England's most versatile actor, and as much as I adore Sean Bean the person who wrote that clearly hasn't been introduced to Gary Oldman. :D

When it comes to versatility Alice Medrich's bars are hard to beat: I have made them in numerous ways already, with and without nuts on the crust, with different jam flavors, you name it. This time I've adapted the recipe once again, using oranges instead of lemons and making it in a larger baking pan so I could feed more people with it. Delicious.

Orange and marmalade bars with almond crust
adapted from the delicious Chewy Gooey Crispy Crunchy Melt-in-Your-Mouth Cookies by Alice Medrich

Crust:
180g all purpose flour
60g almond meal
75g granulated sugar
1/8 teaspoon salt
¾ cup (168g) unsalted butter, melted
1 teaspoon vanilla extract

Topping:
¼ cup (50g) granulated sugar
3 tablespoons all purpose flour
3 large eggs
1 teaspoon vanilla extract
225g marmalade
½ cup (120ml) freshly squeezed orange juice

Preheat the oven to 180°C/350°F. Lightly butter a 20x30cm (12x8in) baking pan, line it with foil, leaving an overhang in two opposite sides. Butter the foil as well.

Crust: place the flour, almond meal, sugar and salt in a large bowl and mix to combine. Add the butter and vanilla and mix until smooth. Press dough evenly on the bottom of the prepared pan. Bake for 25-30 minutes or until fully baked and golden brown in the center.
Towards the end of the cooking time of the crust, make the topping: in a medium bowl, stir together the sugar and flour. Whisk in the eggs and vanilla. Stir in the marmalade, breaking up any large pieces, then stir in the orange juice. Pour the filling over the crust. Bake for another 10-15 minutes or until the topping no longer jiggles when the pan is tapped. Cool completely over a wire rack. Cut into bars.
Bars can be stored in an airtight container in the refrigerator for up to 3 days.

Makes 24