Chestnut Honey Squares
- 120 grams (3/4 cup) unbleached all-purpose flour
- 45 grams (1/2 cup) almond meal (see note)
- 35 grams (3 tablespoons) sugar, preferably unrefined vanilla sugar (see note)
- 1/2 teaspoon salt, preferably fine sea salt
- 6 tablespoons unsalted butter, chilled and cut into cubes
- 1 large egg yolk
- 1/2 teaspoon pure vanilla extract
- 4 tablespoons unsalted butter
- 80 grams (1 cup) sliced almonds
- 30 grams (1/3 cup) candied orange or lemon peel, cut into tiny cubes
- 65 grams (1/3 cup) sugar, preferably vanilla sugar
- 2 tablespoons chestnut honey or other intensely flavored honey
- 1/2 teaspoon vanilla extract
- Heat oven to 400 degrees.
- Line a 9 1/2-inch-square baking pan with parchment, letting it hang over the sides for easier removal later.
- Prepare the pastry: In a food processor, combine flour, almond meal, sugar and salt.
- Pulse to blend.
- Add the butter and pulse until the mixture resembles coarse crumbs.
- Add egg yolk, vanilla and 1 tablespoon of water.
- Pulse to incorporate.
- Add 2 to 3 tablespoons of water through the feed tube, tablespoon by tablespoon, pulsing until just before the pastry forms a ball.
- You may not need all the water.
- Turn the dough out into the prepared baking pan.
- Press the dough evenly into the bottom of the pan.
- Place in the oven on the center rack and bake until the pastry begins to brown around the edges, 12 to 15 minutes.
- While the pastry is baking, prepare the topping: In a saucepan, melt the butter over low heat.
- Add the almonds, candied peel, sugar, honey and vanilla extract.
- Heat just until the ingredients are incorporated.
- Remove the pan and spread the almond-honey mixture evenly over the pastry.
- Return the pan to the oven and bake until the topping is a deep gold, 12 to 15 minutes.
- Remove and transfer to a rack to cool in the pan.
- Once it has cooled, remove from the pan and cut into 32 squares.
- Store in an airtight container at room temperature for up to 3 days.
flour, almond meal, sugar, salt, unsalted butter, egg yolk, vanilla, unsalted butter, almonds, lemon peel, sugar, honey, vanilla
Taken from cooking.nytimes.com/recipes/1015840 (may not work)