Cherry Squares Recipe

Cherry Squares Recipe photo by Taste of Home

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My family has enjoyed this special treat since back in the early 1950's.

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Cherry Squares Recipe

Prep: 30 min. + rising Bake: 25 min. + cooling

Yield: 24 Servings

30 25 55

Ingredients

FILLING:
2 cans (16 ounces each) tart red cherries
3/4 cup sugar
5 tablespoons cornstarch
1/4 teaspoon salt
1 tablespoon butter
1/2 teaspoon almond extract
Several drops red food coloring
BASE:
1 package (1/4 ounce) active dry yeast
2/3 cup warm milk (110° to 115°)
1 cup cold butter
3-1/2 cups all-purpose flour
2 tablespoons sugar
1/2 teaspoon salt
5 egg yolks, beaten
TOPPING:
1/4 cup butter, melted
1-1/2 cups confectioners' sugar
2 tablespoons half-and-half cream
1/2 teaspoon almond extract
3/4 cup chopped nuts

Directions

Drain cherries; reserve 1 cup of the juice. Set aside. In a saucepan, combine sugar, cornstarch and salt. Stir in cherry juice. Cook and stir over medium-high heat until bubbly. Cook and stir 1 minute more. Remove from heat; stir in butter, extract, food coloring and cherries. Set aside to cool.
Dissolve yeast in warm milk. Let stand 5 minutes. Cut butter into flour, sugar and salt. Add yeast mixture and egg yolks; mix thoroughly. If needed, add additional flour to make a soft dough. Turn dough out onto a lightly floured surface and knead 10 times. Divide dough in half. Roll half the dough into a 17-in. x 11-in. rectangle. Carefully transfer to a greased 17-1/2-in. x 11-1/2-in. x 1-in. baking pan. Spread cooled cherry filling over dough. Roll out second portion of dough to 17-in. x 11-in. rectangle. Carefully place over cherry filling. Press edges together to seal. Cover and allow to rise in a warm place until doubled, about 30 minutes. Bake at 350° about 25 minutes or until golden brown. Cool.
Combine topping ingredients except nuts and spread over uncut surface. Top with nuts and cut into squares. Yield: 24 servings.

Nutritional Facts 1 serving (1 each) equals 276 calories, 14 g fat (7 g saturated fat), 73 mg cholesterol, 183 mg sodium, 35 g carbohydrate, 1 g fiber, 4 g protein.

Originally published as Cherry Squares in Country Extra January 1991, p49