Floral Sugar Squares Recipes

GOBLIN SQUARES

Steps:

• Combine pumpkin, sugar, and spices in a medium-large bowl. Stir in yogurt.
• Line bottom of a 9 by 13 by 2 inch pan with gingersnaps. Pour half of pumpkin mixture over gingersnaps. Repeat layers and freeze.
• To serve, remove from freezer, let set at room temperature for 5 minutes, and cut into s

FLORENTINE SQUARES

Steps:

• Adjust rack to lower third of oven and preheat oven to 400 degrees F. Line a 12-x-15 1/2-x-1/2-inch baking sheet with aluminum foil, leaving a 2-inch overhang at each short end.
• Batter: Pour the cream, corn syrup, and sugar into a 1 1/2-quart heavy-bottomed saucepan. Stir to combine, then add the butter. Stir over medium-low heat until the butter melts. Then raise the heat to medium, and stir constantly with a wooden spoon--especially toward the end of cooking--to prevent scorching. Cook until the mixture reaches 238 degrees F, the soft-ball stage, on a candy thermometer, about 10 minutes; the mixture will appear between ivory- and straw-colored. Remove from heat, and stir in almonds.
• Pour the mixture onto the center of the foil-lined baking sheet, and spread it in as thin a layer as possible. A pool about 8 inches in diameter is fine. Bake for 3 minutes; then spread the more liquid mixture evenly over the baking sheet. If the mixture still does not completely cover the baking sheet, bake another minute, then tilt the baking sheet to allow the mixture to spread evenly. Bake for about 5 to 6 minutes total, or until golden but not dark brown. Though the mixture bubbles while baking, the bubbles form more slowly toward the end of baking time than at the beginning.
• Place the baking sheet on a wire rack and cool for 2 to 3 minutes. While the mixture is still warm but no longer liquid, cut 1 1/2-inch squares using a ruler and a pastry wheel. If the mixture is too warm, it will not cut cleanly. If it is too cool, it will splinter or not cut; in that case return it to the oven for a few seconds to soften it a bit.
• Decoration: When the squares are completely cool, place the chocolate in a bowl over water at about 120 degrees F. When about two-thirds of the chocolate has melted, remove the bowl from the water. With a dry rubber spatula, stir until the liquid chocolate melts the soft or unmelted chocolate that remains. Fill a small handmade paper cone with the chocolate and snip off the tip. Pipe thin lines of chocolate back and forth over the squares' surface. Refrigerate the squares briefly, just to set the chocolate. Remove from the refrigerator and set aside in a cool, dry place.
• To store, remove squares from the foil and place them in layers, separated by strips of aluminum, in an airtight metal or plastic container in a cool place up to 1 week.

CUSTARDY APPLE SQUARES

Steps:

• Center a rack in the oven and preheat the oven to 400 degrees F. Butter an 8-inch square baking pan.
• Slice the apples from top to bottom using a mandoline, Benriner or a sharp knife, turning the fruit as you reach the core. The slices should be about 1/16 inch thick-elegantly thin, but not so thin that they're transparent and fragile. Discard the cores.
• Whisk the flour and baking powder together in a small bowl.
• Working in a large bowl with a whisk, beat the eggs, sugar and salt together for about 2 minutes, until the sugar just about dissolves and, more important, the eggs are pale. Whisk in the vanilla, followed by the milk and melted butter. Turn the flour into the bowl and stir with the whisk until the batter is smooth. Add the apples to the bowl, switch to a flexible spatula and gently fold the apples into the batter, turning everything around until each thin slice is coated in batter. Scrape the batter into the pan and smooth the top as evenly as you can-it will be bumpy; that's its nature.
• Bake for 40 to 50 minutes, or until golden brown, uniformly puffed- make sure the middle of the cake has risen-and a knife inserted into the center comes out clean. Transfer the cake to a rack and allow to cool for at least 15 minutes.
• Using a long chefs knife, cut the cake into 8 squares in the pan (being careful not to damage the pan), or unmold the cake onto a rack, flip it onto a plate and cut into squares. Either way, give the squares a dusting of confectioners' sugar before serving, if you'd like.

PINK LADY SQUARES

Steps:

• BASE: In large bowl mix graham wafer crumbs, butter and flour and press into a greased 9x9 inch pan.
• Bake at 275 degrees five minutes, take out of oven and cool.
• TOPPING: Mix the Eaglebrand condensed milk, coconut and pecans and spread over base.
• Bake at 325 for 20 to 25 minute (ovens may vary) being careful not to over bake.
• Cool and ice with Lemon Icing.
• Lemon Icing: In medium bowl beat together the butter, cream and lemon juice.
• Add in the icing sugar, adding more if needed for desired consistency and add just a small amount of food coloring to make for pale pink.

CANADA SQUARES

Steps:

• Preheat oven to 300 degrees F (150 degrees C). Line bottom and sides of an 8-inch square baking pan with parchment paper; crease corners well.
• Whisk together 1 cup flour and 2 tablespoons confectioners' sugar; cut in 1/2 cup butter until mixture resembles fine crumbs. Pat mixture evenly into prepared pan.
• Bake in the preheated oven for 20 minutes; remove to cool on a wire rack, about 15 minutes. Top base evenly with raspberry jam.
• Preheat oven to 375 degrees F (190 degrees C).
• Beat white sugar and 1/2 cup butter together until fluffy; beat in eggs until fluffy and pale yellow. Beat rice flour into egg mixture until well combined; stir in food coloring until batter reaches desired shade of red. Spread batter evenly over jam layer.
• Bake in the preheated oven until a toothpick inserted into the center comes out clean, about 30 minutes. Cool completely in the pan; about 20 minutes.
• Beat 2 cups confectioners' sugar and 1/3 cup butter together in a bowl with an electric mixer until smooth; stir in milk and maple extract. Spread icing evenly over cooled bars.
• Hold edges of parchment paper; lift squares out of pan to a cutting board. Slice into 1-inch squares with a very sharp knife.