New Recipe #7: Raspberry squares

JG and I were invited to our friends’ house for Easter dinner with an open call for desserts. [Sidenote: why is it called Easter dinner even if it's eaten at lunchtime?] Once again, the America’s Test Kitchen cookbook came to my aid in my search for a new, non-chocolate dessert. I feel that it’s my duty, as someone who is indifferent toward chocolate, to provide at least one dessert that does not contain that ingredient. You know, in case someone is allergic. And so that I am guaranteed to have some leftovers to bring home.

Anyway!

These raspberry bars are simple in assembly, and it’s nice that all of the ingredients are readily available and fairly inexpensive. Be sure to budget in at least 2 hours of cooling time, because warm, gooey squares do not yield clean cuts.

A note about our good friend, the foil sling, as seen in our peanut butter brownie escapade: it is a must for these squares, since cleaning a jam-encrusted pan is no one’s idea of a good time. However, unlike brownies, the jam layer may entrap bits of foil, which are not good eats, to put it mildly. A quick trim along the edges took care of rogue pieces of foil and prettied up the raspberry squares. I usually use this tactic with brownies and snack on the trimmings, but these scraps tasted more of burnt sugar than anything else. It was with much trepidation that I packed up the squares for Easter dinner.

Despite all of my fretting, the majority of my raspberry squares disappeared the next day. I was a little nervous that I had overbaked the top layer, but the squares seemed to mellow out overnight, and they were pleasantly chewy. I had a hard time guessing at the two-thirds crust ratio, so I may overshoot that in the future, so as to get more of a speckled top. I would definitely make these squares again, but with apricot jam next time. When the pickings are slim for fresh fruit, this recipe is a great way to cheat.

(Recipe after the jump)

Raspberry Squares
America’s Test Kitchen
Yields 36 squares*

Feel free to substitute apricot, cherry, or blueberry preserves for the raspberry. Quick-cooking oats can be substituted for the old-fashioned oats here; however, we have found they have less flavor.

Ingredients

• 1 1/2 cups all-purpose flour
• 1 1/4 cups old-fashioned rolled oats
• 1/2 cup pecans or almonds, chopped fine
• 1/3 cup granulated sugar
• 1/3 cup packed light brown sugar
• 1/4 teaspoon baking soda
• 1/4 teaspoon salt
• 12 tablespoons (1 1/2 sticks) unsalted butter, cut into 12 pieces and softened
• 1 cup raspberry jam

Directions

1. Adjust an oven rack to the middle position and heat the oven to 350 degrees. Line a 9-inch square pan with foil, then coat lightly with vegetable oil spray.
2. Mix the flour, oats, nuts, sugars, baking soda, and salt together in a large bowl. Beat the butter and the flour mixture together with an electric mixer on low speed until well blended and the mixture resembles wet sand, 2-3 minutes, scraping down the bowl and beaters as needed.
3. Transfer two-thirds of the oat mixture to the prepared pan and press firmly into an even crust using your fingers. Bake until the crust starts to brown, about 20 minutes.
4. Spread the jam evenly over the hot crust, then sprinkle the remaining oat mixture over the top. Continue to bake until the jam bubbles around the edges and the top is golden brown, about 30 minutes, rotating the pan halfway through baking.
5. Let cool completely on a wire rack, about 2 hours, before removing the bars from the pan with the foil sling and cutting into squares.

To Make Ahead: The bars can be wrapped tightly in plastic wrap and stored at room temperature for up to three days.

* It was only when I sat down to type up the recipe that I realized that I was supposed to cut 36 squares from the batch. I guess my 16 were a little chubby, but no one complained!