Shelly's Recipe

PEACH SQUARES

Category: Desserts

1 1/2 cups flour
1 3/4 cups sliced almonds
1/3 cup sugar
1/3 cup packed light brown sugar plus 1 tbsp
Table salt
12 tbsp cold unsalted butter, cut into 1/2-inch pieces
1 1/2 lbs frozen peaches, partially thawed
1/2 cup peach preserves
1/2 tsp grated lemon zest
1 tsp fresh lemon juice

Adjust oven rack to middle position and heat oven to 375. Line 13x9 inch baking pan with aluminum foil, allowing excess to overhang pan edges. Spray pan with cooking spray. Process flour, 11/4 cups almonds, sugar, 1/3 cup brown sugar, and 1/2 tsp salt in food processor until combined, about 5 seconds. Add butter and pulse mixture until it resembles coarse meal (some pea-sized pieces of butter will remain), about twenty 1-second pulses.

Transfer 1/2 cup flour mixture to small bowl and set aside. Press remaining flour mixture firmly and evenly into bottom of prepared baking pan. Bake until golden brown, about 15 minutes. Meanwhile, toss remaining 1 tbsp brown sugar with reserved flour mixture. Set aside.

While crust is baking, remove blade from food processor and wipe out bowl. Pulse peaches and preserves in food processor until mixture has 1/4-inch chunks, about five 1-second pulses (if larger chunks remain, scrape down sides and pulse 2 more times). Cook peach mixture in large nonstick skillet over high heat until thickened and jam-like, about 10 minutes. Off heat, add pinch salt, lemon zest, and lemon juice. Pour mixture over hot crust.

Using fingers, pinch reserved flour mixture to create dime-sized clumps (see photo 2) and sprinkle over peaches. Sprinkle remaining 1/2 cup almonds over top and bake until almonds are golden brown, about 20 minutes. Cool to room temperature, at least 2 hours. Using foil overhang, lift from pan and cut into 24 squares. Squares are best served on day they are baked because the crust can become soggy with time. (See below for reheating instructions.)

To Reheat: To revive, simply place leftover squares side by side (with no spaces in between the squares) on a baking sheet and reheat in the oven at 350 until the bottoms are crisp, 10 to 12 minutes. Allow to cool back to room temperature before eating.