Fig Squares
- 6 cups all-purpose flour
- 1 tablespoon sugar
- 2 teaspoons salt
- 1/4 pound unsalted butter, slightly softened, plus 1 pound cold, unsalted butter
- 3/4 cup cold water
- 2 pounds soft, dried figs, stems removed
- 1/2 - pound dark raisins
- 1/2 -pound pitted prunes
- 1/2 -pound sugar (1 cup)
- 1/2 -cup light corn syrup
- 3 lemons, zested
- 2 cups water
- 4 ounces (1 stick) unsalted butter, soft
- 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.)
allpurpose, sugar, salt, butter, cold water, raisins, prunes, sugar, light corn syrup, lemons, water, unsalted butter
Taken from www.foodnetwork.com/recipes/fig-squares-recipe.html (may not work)