Shelly's Recipe

PEACH SQUARES - Cooks Illustrated

Category: Bars

1 1/2 cups (7.5 oz) all-purpose flour
1 1/4 cups quick-cooking oats
1/3 cup (2.3 oz) sugar
1/3 cup packed light brown sugar
1/4 teaspoon baking soda
1/4 teaspoon table salt
1/2 cup finely chopped almonds
12 tablespoons (1 1/2 sticks) unsalted butter, cut into 12 pieces and softened but still cool
1 cup peach preserves

Preheat oven to 350 F with a rack in the lower third. Line a 9-inch square baking pan with aluminum foil, leaving an overhang on opposite sides. Use a second piece of aluminum foil to line the pan, perpendicular to the first, and again, leave an overhang on opposite sides. These handles will make it easy to remove the bars from the pan after they bake. Spray the foil thoroughly with nonstick cooking spray.

In the bowl of a stand mixer fitted with the paddle attachment, mix the flour, oats, sugars, baking soda, salt, and nuts at low speed until combined, about 30 seconds. With the mixer still on low speed add the pieces of butter to the bowl and continue to beat until the mixture is well-blended and resembles wet sand, about 2 minutes.

Transfer 2/3 of this mixture to the prepared baking pan. Use your fingers to press the mixture to form an even layer in the bottom of the pan. Bake this bottom crust until it starts to brown, about 20 minutes. Using a rubber spatula, immediately spread the preserves evenly over the hot crust. Sprinkle the remainder of the oat/nut mixture evenly over preserves. Put the pan back in the oven and bake until the preserves bubble around the edges and the top is golden brown, about 30 minutes.

Transfer the pan to a wire rack to cool completely (at least 1 1/2 hours). Once cool, use the foil handles to remove the bars from the pan. Cut into about 1 1/2-inch squares. Makes about 25 squares