Mazurka Bar Recipes

MAZURKAS (POLAND)

Steps:

• Preheat oven to 375 degrees F. Coat a 9 by 13-inch baking pan with butter or nonstick spray. Line the bottom of the pan with parchment paper.
• For the cookie: Whisk the flour, baking powder and salt in a bowl.
• Beat the butter and sugar in a large bowl, with an electric mixer, at medium-high speed until creamy, about 2 minutes. Scrape down the sides and add the egg and vanilla extract. Beat well, and then scrape down the sides.
• While mixing on low speed, add the dry ingredients in 3 batches. Scrape down the bowl between each addition, and mix until just blended.
• Transfer the dough to the prepared pan and spread evenly with a spatula. Bake until light golden brown with spots of darker golden brown and darker edges, about 30 minutes. Cool completely, about 45 minutes.
• Meanwhile, prepare the fruit: Whisk the cornstarch and sugar together in a small saucepan. Whisk in orange juice until mixture dissolves. Stir in the fruits and candied orange peel. Bring to a simmer over medium, stirring often; continue to cook, stirring until thickened into a compote, about 3 minutes more. You should be able to draw the spoon along the bottom of pan and see the pan with no liquid seeping back. Remove from heat and transfer to a bowl. Stir in the nuts and lemon zest.
• Spread fruit evenly over the top of the cooled crust.
• Heat oven to 350 degrees F. Bake mazurkas until golden brown around edges and fruit sets but is still slightly glossy and jewel-like, about 10 minutes. Cool in pan on rack.
• Cut, using an oiled knife, into 24 bars. Serve.

RASPBERRY MAZURKAS

Steps:

• Preheat oven to 350 degrees F (175 degrees C). Prepare a 9x13-inch baking dish with cooking spray.
• Mix flour, brown sugar, oats, coconut, and walnuts together in a bowl. Pour melted butter over the flour mixture and mix. The mixture should clump together easily when compressed.
• Press about half the flour mixture into the bottom of the prepared baking dish; top with a layer of raspberry preserves. Finish by topping with the remaining flour mixture, patting lightly to complete the 'crust.'
• Bake in preheated oven until browned, 20 to 25 minutes. Cool completely before cutting to serve.

MAZURKA

Steps:

• In a bowl, combine flour, sugar, baking powder and salt. Stir in raisins, plums and walnuts; toss to coat evenly. In a bowl, beat egg whites on high speed until stiff peaks form. Stir about a third of the egg whites and vanilla into flour mixture. Fold in remaining egg whites. Transfer to a 9-in. square baking dish coated with cooking spray., Bake at 300° for 40-45 minutes or until golden brown and a toothpick inserted in the center comes out clean. Cool. Cut into squares.

ESPRESSO CARAMEL BARS

Steps:

• For the crust:
• Position an oven rack in the middle of the oven. Preheat the oven to 350 degrees F. Line the bottom of a 9-inch round springform pan with parchment or waxed paper. Spray the paper and the sides of the pan with cooking spray. In the bowl of a food processor, combine the graham crackers and sugar. Process until the mixture resembles fine bread crumbs. Add the melted butter and blend until the mixture forms into clumps. Spread the mixture into the bottom of the prepared pan, pressing gently to form an even layer. Place the pan on a baking sheet and bake for 10 to 12 minutes until the crust is golden. Cool for 15 minutes.
• For the caramel:
• While the crust is cooling, in a medium heavy-bottomed saucepan, combine 1/2 cup of cream, butter, sugar, and water. Stir over medium heat until the mixture is smooth. Bring the mixture to a boil and cook, without stirring, until a candy thermometer registers 240 degrees F, about 5 to 7 minutes. Carefully pour the caramel over the warm crust. Cool for 20 minutes. Freeze until firm, about 10 minutes.
• For the chocolate layer: Combine the chocolate chips and cream in a small bowl and place over a pan of simmering water. Stir until the chocolate has melted and the mixture is smooth, about 3 minutes. Whisk in the espresso powder. Remove the springform pan from the freezer. Pour the chocolate mixture over the caramel layer and smooth with a spatula. Sprinkle the top with smoked sea salt, if using. Refrigerate for at least 1 hour until firm.
• Allow the layers to come to room temperature, about 30 minutes. Using a warm, slightly wet knife, carefully cut around the edges of the chocolate layer. Release the side of the pan and remove the paper from the bottom. Cut into 1 1/2-by-1/2-inch bars and store airtight in a covered plastic container.

MAZURKA WITH APRICOT TOPPING

Steps:

• Heat oven to 325 degrees.
• Cream butter until fluffy. Sift together flour, sugar, and salt and add to butter, alternating with the egg yolks. Beat until well mixed. Carefully stir in almonds and citrus zest.
• Pat dough into two 10-inch buttered and parchment-lined cake pans.
• Bake for 35 to 40 minutes, until golden brown.
• For the Apricot Topping: Heat jam gently. Add liqueur. Strain warm glaze through a fine sieve and spread atop cooked mazurka.

MAZURKI

Steps:

• Preheat oven to 375 degrees F. Coat a 9 by 13-inch baking pan with butter or nonstick spray.
• Line the bottom of the pan with parchment paper.
• Prepare all the chopped fruits and candied orange peel, and set aside.
• For the cookie:
• Whisk the flour, baking powder and salt in a bowl.
• Beat the butter and sugar in a large bowl, with an electric mixer, at medium-high speed until creamy, about 2 minutes.
• Scrape down the sides and add the egg and vanilla extract. Beat well, and then scrape down the sides.
• While mixing on low speed, add the dry ingredients in 3 batches. Scrape down the bowl between each addition, and mix until just blended.
• Transfer the dough to the prepared pan and spread evenly with a spatula. Bake until light golden brown with spots of darker golden brown and darker edges, about 30 minutes.
• Cool completely, about 45 minutes.
• Meanwhile, prepare the fruit:
• Whisk the cornstarch and sugar together in a small saucepan.
• Whisk in orange juice until mixture dissolves.
• Stir in the fruits and candied orange peel.
• Bring to a simmer over medium, stirring often; continue to cook, stirring until thickened into a compote, about 3 minutes more. You should be able to draw the spoon along the bottom of pan and see the pan with no liquid seeping back.
• Remove from heat and transfer to a bowl. Stir in the nuts and lemon zest.
• Spread fruit evenly over the top of the cooled crust.
• Heat oven to 350 degrees F. Bake mazurkas until golden brown around edges and fruit sets but is still slightly glossy and jewel-like, about 10 minutes. Cool in pan on rack.
• Cut, using an oiled knife, into 24 bars.

MAZUREK (POLISH EASTER CAKE)

Steps:

• Combine 1 1/2 cups plus 2 tablespoons butter, sugar, and egg in a bowl; beat with an electric mixer until creamy. Beat in mashed egg yolks. Add flour, ground almonds, and lemon zest. Knead into a dough. Cover and refrigerate for 1 hour.
• Preheat the oven to 400 degrees F (200 degrees C). Line a rimmed baking sheet with parchment paper.
• Roll out 2/3 of the dough on a lightly floured surface into a rectangle the size of the baking sheet. Lay onto the prepared baking sheet. Roll remaining dough into finger-thick rolls. Press dough rolls onto the cake in a diamond-shaped pattern. Brush rolls with beaten egg.
• Bake in the preheated oven until golden brown, 20 to 25 minutes.
• Pour 1/4 cup water into a saucepan. Sprinkle gelatin powder on top. Let stand until softened, about 1 minute. Place over low heat; stir constantly until granules are completely dissolved, about 3 minutes.
• Heat cherry and apricot preserves in 2 small pots over low heat until hot. Strain through a fine-mesh sieve. Mix half of the dissolved gelatin into each flavor. Alternate filling the diamond shapes of the cake with the 2 different flavors. Arrange sliced almonds and candied cherries into flower shapes on top.

MEAN CHEF'S RASPBERRY MAZURKAS

Steps:

• Preheat oven to 350°F.
• Melt butter and cool.
• Combine all dry ingredients in mixer with paddle.
• Add melted butter until well combined.
• Press half of the mixture in a half sheet pan and roll to firm.
• Spread with jam to within 1/2-inch of edges.
• Spread remaining mixture evenly on top and press down lightly.
• Bake until golden brown.

MAZURKA BAR

Steps:

• 1. Adjust an oven rack one third up from the bottom and preheat oven to 325 degrees
• 2. Place the flour, salt and sugar in processor. Cut in 1/2 inch butter cubes with pulse mode until mixture resembles coarse meal. Stir in the coconut, oatmeal and walnuts, pulse to blend. Add the 1/4 cup of melted butter, pulse again.
• 3. Place about half ( 2-3 cups) of the mixture in an unbuttered 8-inch square cake pan. Press evenly with your fingertips. Cover with a piece of wax paper and with the palm of your hand, press against the paper to make a smooth, compact layer. Remove wax paper.
• 4. Spread raspberry jam in an even layer over the pastry, staying 1/4 to 1/2 inch away from the edges. Sprinkle the remaining pastry evenly over the filling. Recipe says to repeat wax paper thing but I haven't done it.
• 5. Bake4 for 60 to 70 minutes until the top is barely semi firm to the touch.
• 6. Cool in the pan for 15 minutes or so; be sure to cut around the sides to loosen from the pan before cutting and serving.