Nectarine Bars Recipes

NECTARINE BARS

Steps:

• Preheat oven to 350 degrees F (175 degrees C).
• Combine flour and 1/2 cup sugar in a 9x13-inch baking pan; cut in butter until mixture is crumbly. Press firmly into an even layer.
• Bake in preheated oven until crust is slightly browned, about 25 minutes.
• Place 1/3 of the nectarine slices in a blender and puree until smooth. Stir cornstarch into the mixture until evenly distributed.
• Beat eggs in a large bowl until light, using an electric mixer; gradually beat in 1 cup sugar until well combined. Stir in the blended nectarine mixture; pour over hot baked crust.
• Bake until almost set, about 30 minutes. Let cool completely on a rack, 30 minutes to 1 hour; cut into bars. Top bars with remaining nectarine slices.

NECTARINE CAKE SQUARES

Steps:

• Preheat oven to 350°F. Butter and flour a 13- by 9- by 2-inch metal baking pan, knocking out excess flour.
• Sift together flour, baking powder, baking soda, and salt into a small bowl. Beat together butter and 1 cup granulated sugar in a large bowl with an electric mixer at medium-high speed until pale and fluffy, about 2 minutes, then beat in vanilla and almond extract. Add eggs 1 at a time, mixing at low speed after each addition until just combined. Add flour mixture and sour cream alternately in 3 batches, mixing after each addition until just combined. Spread batter in pan, smoothing top.
• Cut nectarines lengthwise into 1/8-inch slices and toss with lemon juice and remaining 3 tablespoons granulated sugar in a bowl. Arrange slices, overlapping slightly, in 4 crosswise rows over batter. Cover surface of cake with a piece of buttered wax paper (paper helps fruit glaze itself) and bake in middle of oven 15 minutes. Remove paper and bake until a tester comes out clean, 20 to 25 minutes more.
• While cake is still warm, dust generously with confectioners sugar, then cool completely on a rack.

NECTARINE TART

Steps:

• Blend flour, salt and 2 tablespoons sugar in a bowl or food processor. Dice 8 tablespoons of the butter. Use a pastry blender or two knives to blend flour mixture and butter, or pulse them together in a food processor to make a crumbly mixture. Beat the egg yolk with 3 tablespoons cold water. Dribble it over the flour mixture, then stir or pulse slowly until the mixture starts clumping together. A bit more water may be necessary. Gather dough in a loose ball and form into a disk on a lightly floured surface.
• Heat oven to 375 degrees. Roll out dough and line a 10-inch loose-bottom tart pan. Line pastry with a sheet of foil and spread pastry weights or dry beans on top. Bake 12 minutes. Meanwhile, melt the remaining butter, cooking it on low until it turns a light nut brown. Pit fruit (except figs) and cut in eighths or, if fruit is small, fourths. After 12 minutes, remove foil and weights from pastry. Return pastry to oven and continue baking until it is lightly browned, another 8 to 10 minutes. Remove pastry from oven and increase temperature to 400 degrees.
• Brush pastry with preserves. Arrange fruit in tight concentric circles, starting by placing it around the perimeter, skin side down, against the vertical sides of the pastry and standing it up as much as possible. Brush with melted butter. Dust with remaining sugar. Bake about 35 to 40 minutes, until edges have browned but fruit has not collapsed. Cool before serving with crème fraîche.

NECTARINE CRUNCH BARS

Steps:

• Dice enough nectarines to make 2 cups (approximately 3 medium fresh nectarines). In saucepan, combine nectarines, granulated sugar and lemon juice. Cook and stir over medium heat 3 minutes. Mix water into cornstarch; stir into nectarine mixture; cook and stir until thickened, about 5 minutes. Remove from heat. Stir in 1 tablespoon butter and almond extract. Cool. In large bowl, mix together next 6 ingredients. Cut in remaining butter until mixture resembles course meal. Turn 2/3 crumb mixture into greased 8-inch square baking pan; pack firmly. Bake in 350 F. degree oven 15 minutes. Spoon nectarine mixture over baked layer, then sprinkle with remaining crumb mixture. Return to oven 25 to 30 minutes longer, until lightly browned. Cool on rack 15 minutes; cut into bars. Serve warm or at room temperature topped with whipped cream and remaining nectarine slices.