In a medium saucepan, combine the roughly chopped dried apricots, a splash of water, and ½ cup of sugar. Simmer over medium heat for 15–20 minutes, stirring occasionally until the apricots soften and the mixture thickens slightly. Stir in the fresh lemon juice and optional almond extract. Allow the filling to cool while you prepare the crust.

Preheat your oven to 375°F (190°C) and prepare a 9x13 inch baking pan by greasing it or lining it with parchment paper.

In a large mixing bowl, whisk together flour, sugar, baking powder, and salt. Cut in the cold, cubed butter until the mixture resembles coarse crumbs.

In a separate bowl, whisk together the egg and vanilla extract. Pour this mixture into the flour mixture, stirring gently until just combined.

Reserve about 1½ to 2 cups of dough for the topping, then press the remaining dough evenly into the bottom of your prepared baking pan.

Spread the cooled apricot filling evenly over the shortbread crust in the pan.

Crumble the reserved shortbread dough evenly over the layer of apricot filling.

Bake in the preheated oven for 30-35 minutes until the topping is golden brown and the edges start to bubble.

Remove from the oven and allow to cool completely on a wire rack before cutting into squares or rectangles.