Fig Squares Recipes

FIG BARS I

Steps:

• Soak figs in the water for 1 hour. In a small saucepan, combine the fig mixture with the sugar, and cook over medium heat until thick and stewy. Remove from heat and set aside to cool.
• In a large bowl, cream together the butter and sugar. Beat in the milk and vanilla until smooth. Combine the flour, baking powder and salt, stir into the creamed mixture. Cover and refrigerate for one hour.
• Preheat oven to 350 degrees F (175 degrees C). Lightly grease a 9x13 inch baking pan.
• Divide the dough into two pieces and knead each piece about 5 or 6 times. On a well floured surface, roll the dough out to 1/4 inch thickness. Line the prepared pan with one piece of the dough. Spread the fig mixture over it, then cover with the other piece of dough.
• Bake for 25 to 30 minutes in the preheated oven, until golden brown. Cool and cut into squares.

SCRUMPTIOUS FIG SQUARES

Steps:

• For filling: Finely chop figs in processor (do not puree).
• Combine with juice, sugar and peel in small saucepan.
• Simmer until thickened to consistency of jam, stirring frequently, about 3 minutes.
• Remove from heat and mix in vanilla and cinnamon.
• Cool completely.
• For pastry: Preheat oven to 350F (160C).
• Line 9 x 13 inch pyrex baking dish with foil.
• Cream butter with mixer until light; add sugar and vanilla and beat until light and fluffy, about 5 minutes.
• Combine flour, cornstarch and salt in small bowl to blend.
• Add to butter until mixture just starts to come together.
• Separate in half.
• Press one half into pan, just coming up sides slightly.
• Brush pastry edges with egg white.
• Spread filling over pastry, leaving a ¼ inch border.
• Crumble remaining pastry evenly over pan, and lightly pat down with hands, bringing to edge of pan.
• Combine 2 tblsps sugar with 1 tsp cinnamon.
• Brush pastry crust with remaining egg white and sprinkle evenly with cinnamon sugar.
• Bake until crust around edge is firm to the touch and pastry just begins to colour, about 1 hour, 20 minutes.
• Cool on rack.
• Remove pastry from pan, using foil as aid.
• Cut into 1 ½ inch squares.

FIG BARS

Steps:

• Using kitchen scissors, trim stems from the figs and discard. Cut the figs in half. In a saucepan combine the figs, water and lemon zest and bring to a boil. Lower the heat and simmer the figs, uncovered, until the water is absorbed and figs are tender, about 25 minutes. In a food processor puree the figs until smooth. Add the vanilla extract, cinnamon, and nutmeg and pulse to combine.
• Preheat oven to 350 degrees F. Sift together the flour, baking powder, cinnamon, and salt. Using an electric mixer cream together the butter and sugar until light and fluffy. Add the eggs, one at a time, beating well after each addition. Gently beat in the dry ingredients. With floured hands, gather the dough into a ball, flatten and wrap with plastic wrap. Refrigerate dough for at least 1 hour, or until chilled enough to easily roll out.
• Divide the dough in half. On a lightly floured surface, roll out half of the dough into a 13- by 9-inch rectangle. Trim the edges exactly with a sharp knife. Carefully transfer dough to a 13- x-9-9-inch buttered baking dish. Using a spatula spread the cooled fig mixture over the dough in an even layer. On a piece of waxed paper, roll out remaining dough in the same manner as before and place over the filling with the waxed paper side up. Peel the waxed paper from the dough and patch any tears by pressing dough together with your fingertips.
• Bake for 30 minutes, or until edges are golden. Cool on a wire rack before cutting into bars.

FIG SQUARES

Steps:

• For baking: 1 egg, beaten For dough, in a large mixing bowl, mix dry ingredients. Add 1/4 pound soft butter and work finely into flour. Cut cold butter into 1/2 pieces and add to bowl. Work in until butter is left pea-sized. Drizzle water over mixture and toss in. If dough is dry, add more water, 1 tablespoon at a time, as needed. Dough should be loose in bowl, not in a ball. Turn out onto work surface and pull together. Divide into 2 equal portions, flatten each slightly, and wrap in plastic. Chill at least 1 hour before rolling. (Refrigerate up to 3 days, freeze up to 6 months.) For the fig filling, in a large saucepan, combine all but 1/3 of the grated zest and butter, and bring to a boil over medium heat, stirring frequently to dissolve the sugar. Reduce heat and simmer for 30 to 40 minutes until fruit is soft and liquid thickened. Transfer to a food processor and puree until smooth. Add butter and puree to blend. Add remaining zest and pulse in. Transfer to a bowl and allow to cool. To assemble and bake, preheat oven to 375 degrees. Line a 11 by 17-inch baking sheet (up to 12 x18) with parchment paper. Remove one of the wrapped pieces of dough from the refrigerator and unwrap. Roll dough on a floured surface into a rectangle to fit the bottom and sides of the baking sheet. Line the sheet with the dough. Place the baking sheet in the freezer while the second piece of dough is rolled out in the same way. Remove baking sheet from freezer and spread fig filling evenly over the surface of the dough. Top with the second sheet of dough and pinch the edges to seal. Trim the excess dough. Brush surface of dough with beaten egg. Prick through the top layer of dough with a fork evenly over the surface (about 1 1/2 apart.) Place baking sheet on bottom rack of oven. Bake 25 to35 minutes, until dough is a light-medium golden brown. Remove from oven and cool on a wire rack. Cut into portions (squares are traditional.)

OAT AND FIG SQUARES

Steps:

• Preheat oven to 350F . Put figs in a small saucepan, cover with water, and bring to a boil. Turn off heat and let figs soften for 5-7 minutes. Do not drain.
• Lightly coat an 8X8-inch baking pan with cooking spray (or line with parchment paper or nonstick foil). In a small bowl, mix canola oil or butter, honey, and milk. In a medium bowl, combine flour, rolled oats, baking soda, and salt; add wet ingredients, then mix well.
• Remove softened figs from water and place in a blender or food processor. Add 3 tablespoons of the rehydrating water and puree until smooth. (I added a tiny bit more water as they still seemed a little thick to spread easily.).
• Place a little more than half of the oat mixture in the prepared pan and spread evenly across the bottom. (It was sticking to my hands a bit, so I laid waxed paper over it to press on as I evened it out.) Spread figs evenly on top. Add remaining oat mixture on top of fig layer, allowing some of the figs to show through. (I just pinched off bits of the dough and dropped them evenly over the top.) Pat lightly to flatten.
• Bake for 20 minutes. Remove from oven and cool completely in pan on a wire rack. When cool, cut into 16 squares.

FIG BARS

Steps:

• Heat oven to 350°F. Spray 9-inch square pan with cooking spray. In small bowl, beat 1/2 cup butter, 1/4 cup granulated sugar and the vanilla with electric mixer on medium speed until well blended. On low speed, beat in 1 cup flour until soft dough forms. Press dough in bottom of pan. Bake 10 to 15 minutes or until center is set.
• Meanwhile, in 2-quart saucepan, cook filling ingredients over medium-high heat 5 to 10 minutes, stirring frequently, until figs are tender and most of liquid is absorbed. Spread over crust.
• In small bowl, mix 1/4 cup flour, the brown sugar and 3 tablespoons butter, using pastry blender or fork, until crumbly. Stir in oats and walnuts. Sprinkle over filling.
• Bake 15 to 20 minutes longer or until edges are bubbly and topping is light golden brown. Cool completely, about 1 hour. For bars, cut into 4 rows by 4 rows.