Portuguesewalnutsquares Recipes

PORTUGUESE WALNUT SQUARES

Steps:

• Cream butter and sugar using electric mixer, if available.
• Add egg and beat well.
• Add vanilla, milk, and 2 Tbsp of port.
• Grind or grate, chop very fine, or whirl in blender 1 cup nuts.
• Place in mixing bowl.
• Add dry ingredients and stir.
• Fold in butter/egg mixture to make a batter; do not over-beat.
• Spoon into a lightly buttered and floured 9 inches square pan.
• Bake in moderate oven 350F 15-20 min or until cake tests done.
• As soon as the cake is removed from the oven, brush top with 2-3 Tbsp of port.
• Cool to room temperature.
• Mix well confectioners sugar, salt, 1 Tbsp softened butter, and 1 Tbsp of port, or enough to obtain a glaze of spreading consistancy. Tint a light pink with a little red food coloring.
• Spread cake with glaze.
• Sprinkle with chopped walnuts.
• Set until firm.
• Cut into 16 squares.

IVANKA'S WALNUT SQUARES

Steps:

• For the base:.
• Combine the butter, 2/3 cup sugar, flour and egg yolks.
• Pat the mixture into the bottom of a 9"x13"x2" pan.
• Bake at 350 degrees Fahrenheit for 15 minutes or until the edges are light brown.
• Cool base and spread with jam of your choice. Ivanka uses rose hip jam but seedless raspberry or strawberry jam works just as well.
• In a separate bowl, beat egg whites with the 1 cup of sugar until slightly stiff.
• Add the 2 cups of ground walnuts and vanilla or rum extract. I use pure vanilla extract.
• Spread this mixture over jam layer and sprinkle the top with the 1 cup chopped walnuts.
• Bake at 350 degrees Fahrenheit for 25 to 30 minutes or until lightly golden.
• For a softer topping, cover pan loosely after removing from oven to allow meringue to soften for easier cutting.
• Cut when cool, with sharp knife dipped in hot water between each cut.

WALNUT SQUARES

Steps:

• Preheat oven to 325 degrees, grease well an 8" square pan.
• Beat egg until foamy, beat in brown sugar and vanilla.
• Sift together dry ingredients, mix into to egg mixture, stir in walnuts.
• Bake until the top has a dull crust about 25 minutes, cut into squares while warm, cool and then remove from the pan.
• Easily doubled, bake in a 9x13 pan.

CHEWY WALNUT SQUARES

Steps:

• Preheat oven to 350°F.
• In a medium bowl, combine the brown sugar, vanilla and egg substitute, beating until well blended.
• In a separate bowl sift together the flour, baking soda and salt.
• Add the dry mixture to the brown sugar mixture and stir just until incorporated and moist; don't over mix.
• Fold in walnuts; then spread into a greased 9" square pan.
• Bake in the preheated 350°F oven for 19 min; then cool in pan.
• Cut in squares to serve.
• Variation: swap out the walnuts for pecans instead.
• TIP: you may wish to chop the walnuts a little more finely if you have very young children, if choking may be an issue for them or refrain from giving them access to this treat entirely.

PEAR WALNUT SQUARES

Steps:

• Preheat oven to 350 degrees.
• In a medium bowl, combine flour, powdered sugar, butter, 1/2 teaspoon of the cinnamon and salt; mix well.
• Press into the bottom of a greased 7 x 11-inch baking dish.
• Top with nuts and pear slices.
• In the same mixing bowl, beat together eggs, brown sugar, vanilla and remaining cinnamon until well combined; pour over pears.
• Bake for 35 to 40 minutes, or until set in center.
• Cool completely before cutting into squares.