These squares from baker Anna Olson are very much like buttertart squares, but the addition of chocolate makes them easy to slice and store.
Makes one 8-inch (20 cm) square pan; cuts into 25 or 36 squares
BASE:
1 1/4 cups (310 mL) all-purpose flour
1/2 cup (125 mL) icing sugar, sifted
1/4 tsp (1 mL) salt
1/2 cup (125 mL) cool unsalted butter
FILLING:
1/2 cup (125 mL) packed dark brown sugar
1 Tbsp (15 mL) cornstarch
1/2 tsp (2 mL) baking powder
1/4 tsp (1 mL) ground cinnamon 2 eggs
1/2 cup (125 mL) pure maple syrup
1/4 cup (60 mL) unsalted butter, melted
1 tsp (5 mL) vanilla extract
1 tsp (5 mL) white vinegar or lemon juice
2 cups (500 mL) pecan halves
1 cup (250 mL) chocolate chips
Preheat the oven to 350 F. Grease and line an 8-inch (20 cm) square pan with parchment paper so the paper comes up the sides.
Prepare the base by stirring the flour, icing sugar, and salt together. Cut in the butter until the mixture is an even, crumbly texture (this can be done by hand, with beaters, or in a food processor). Press this mixture into the prepared pan.
Bake for 15 minutes, just until the edges start to turn golden. Cool the crust while preparing the filling.
Stir the brown sugar with the cornstarch, baking powder, and cinnamon in a large bowl. Whisk in the eggs, maple syrup, butter, vanilla, and vinegar or lemon juice. Stir in the pecan halves and chocolate chips, and pour this over the cooled crust.
Bake for about 25 minutes, until the outside edges of the filling are bubbling and the centre has a little jiggle to it when the pan is moved. Cool to room temperature, then chill completely before slicing. The squares can be stored in the refrigerator for up to five days.
Light Fruitcake Ring
Anna Olson says this fruitcake is light in colour and mild tasting, and it is more like a coffee cake or loaf cake than a traditional fruitcake. Rather than candied fruit that has been dyed red and green, this cake contains naturally dried fruits that add a rich depth of flavour, and the little bit of chocolate really works with the rum.
Makes: one 8-cup Bundt cake, serves 20 to 24
3/4 cup pecan pieces
1/2 cup chopped pitted prunes
1/2 cup chopped dried figs
1/2 cup chopped pitted dates
1/2 cup chopped dried apricots
1?3 cup diced candied citrus peel
3 oz bittersweet chocolate, chopped
1?3 cup amber rum, plus extra for brushing cake
2 1/4 cups all-purpose flour
2 1/2 Tbsp baking powder
1/4 tsp ground cloves
1/4 tsp salt
3/4 cup sugar
2 Tbsp honey
1 cup milk
2 eggs, separated
1 tsp vanilla extract
Stir the pecans, prunes, figs, dates, apricots, citrus peel, and chocolate with the rum. Cover and let sit for an hour.
Preheat the oven to 325 F and grease an 8-cup (2 L) Bundt pan.
Sift the flour, baking powder, cloves, and salt, and stir this into the fruit. Whisk the sugar, honey, milk, egg yolks, and vanilla, then stir this into the fruit mixture. Whip the egg whites until they hold a medium peak when the beaters are lifted, and fold this into the cake batter in 2 additions (the whites will deflate somewhat, but that is normal).
Bake the cake for about an hour, until a tester inserted in the centre of the cake comes out clean. Cool the cake for 20 minutes in the pan, then turn it out to let it cool completely.
While still warm, brush the surface of the cake with rum. Once cooled, brush the cake again with rum. Wrap and store the cake for 5 days before slicing. If the fruitcake is well wrapped, it will keep for up to 2 weeks, or can be frozen for up to 3 months.
