Scottish Fruit Squares Recipes

Steps:

• Measure the flour and salt into a large mixing bowl. Cut in the butter until the mixture resembles coarse crumbs. In a small bowl, beat together the corn oil, egg white, lemon juice, and 2 Tablespoons of the water. Sprinkle the liquids over the flour mixture and toss with a fork until the pastry holds together in a ball. Add more water if necessary. Cover and chill for 30 minutes.
• Preheat the oven to 375°F Roll the pastry out to fit the bottom and sides of a 15 1/4 x 10 1/4 x 3/4 inch jelly roll pan. Prick all over with a fork. Bake for 10 to 15 minutes, until light brown.
• To make the filling, combine the walnuts, currants, coconut, raisins, and sugar in a large bowl. Mix in the melted butter, the egg, and the egg yolk. Spread the mixture over the bottom of the pastry. Bake for 30 minutes or until set and the edges are golden brown.
• While the bars bake, make the icing. Mix the confectioners' sugar (also known as icing or powdered sugar) with the orange juice in a small bowl until the icing is smooth and rather soft, but not runny, and spread over the bars. Sprinkle evenly with the cherries. Cool completely before cutting into squares. The bars are easiest to cut the day after baking.
• Makes twelve 3-inch or forty-eight 1 1/2 inch bars.
• The Great Holiday Baking Book.

Steps:

• Heat oven to 180C/160C fan/gas 4 and line the base and sides of a 20cm square tin with baking parchment. Beat the butter, sugar, vanilla, 1 tsp of the cinnamon and the cloves together with an electric whisk until pale and fluffy. Stir in the flour and ground rice first with a spoon, then get your hands in and knead to a smooth dough.
• Halve the dough and press one half evenly into the base of the tin. Spread the mincemeat over the top, leaving a 1cm border around the edge. Roll out the remaining dough between 2 sheets of baking parchment to a 20cm square, then slide onto the mincemeat. Seal around the edge with your fingers gently press all over until dimpled, then prick all over the top with a fork.
• Bake for 25-30 mins until lightly golden. Mix the granulated sugar with the remaining 1/4 tsp cinnamon and sprinkle over the top. Cool in the tin before cutting into squares. Will keep for 3 days in an airtight container.

Steps:

• Drain the fruit cocktail and reserve 1/3 cup of the syrup. Add the 1 tablespoon maraschino cherry syrup to the reserved fruit cocktail syrup. Chop the drained fruit, and set it aside.
• Stir together in a bowl the flour, baking soda, baking powder, and salt.
• In a large bowl, cream together the butter or margarine and sugar. Beat in the egg and vanilla extract.
• Add the flour mixture, alternating with the syrups, to the creamed mixture. Mix well. Stir in the chopped fruit, the coconut and the cherries.
• Spread dough into a greased 9 inch square pan. Bake at 350 degrees F (175 degrees C) for 30 to 35 minutes. Cool. Sprinkle sifted confectioners' sugar over the top if desired. Cut into squares.