Best South African Brandy Squares Recipes

SOUTH AFRICAN BRANDY SQUARES

Steps:

• Preheat oven to 350°F.
• In a large bowl, cream butter and sugar until soft and fluffy. NOTE: Creaming of fat and sugar until it resembles whipped cream in colour and texture.
• Add eggs and beat well.
• In a separate bowl, combine flour, baking powder and salt. Stir into egg mixture. Fold in the nuts.
• In small bowl, pour boiling water over dates. Add baking soda and let it bubble. Pour date mixture into batter and mix well.
• Pour batter into a greased 11 x 9-inch baking dish and bake for 30 to 40 minutes, or until a toothpick inserted in tart comes out clean.
• Meanwhile, to make syrup, in a saucepan combine sugar, water and butter. Bring to a boil and simmer for 5 minutes, or until syrup is a golden colour.
• Remove from heat and stir in vanilla and brandy. When bubbles disappear, pour syrup over tart just as it comes out of the oven. Serve cold with whipped cream. Serves 10.
• Impossible Pie.Recipes Compiled By Lucy Waverman for the Hospital For Sick Children Centre.

BLACKBERRY-ALMOND SHORTBREAD SQUARES

Steps:

• Preheat oven to 350 degrees. Butter a 9-by-13-inch baking pan. Line with parchment; butter lining. Dust with flour; tap out excess. Arrange nuts in a single layer on a rimmed baking sheet. Bake until golden, 15 minutes; let cool. Grind in a food processor until fine.
• Whisk together flour, nuts, salt, and cinnamon in a medium bowl; set aside. Put 3/4 cup plus 1 tablespoon sugar and the butter in the bowl of an electric mixer fitted with the paddle attachment; mix until pale and fluffy, about 3 minutes. Mix in almond extract. Add flour mixture in 2 batches; mix until a crumbly dough forms.
• Press all but 1 cup dough onto bottom of pan. Toss berries with zest; scatter over dough. Sprinkle with remaining tablespoon sugar; crumble reserved dough on top. Bake until golden, about 30 minutes. Let cool on a wire rack. Cut into 12 squares; dust with sugar.