Jam Squares

Good evening!  Hoping this finds you enjoying time at home, after a day of work or school and relaxing!  I am at my parents house, my sister is making me breakfast, I have coffee in my hand, and enjoying being the youngest, and being waited on! HA!  Seriously, I know all you "youngsters" think it, I just am brave enough to SAY it! HA!

I got this recipe SO LONG AGO from a dear reader, Michelle.  Michelle is from South Africa, (now living in Belgium) but when I asked her about sending me a recipe, she hit the nail on the head!  I am so grateful she took the time to send it, and at the same time, sorry I haven't made it before now!  OH MY GOSH, this is amazing.  This recipe I am told is a staple in South African homes, and very traditional.  Now you know how I generally feel about fruit.  Well, this throws out all the rules.  I LOVED this.  I mean, L O V E D this!  It just proves my point that you must always try what you think you won't like, because you just never know when you might like something you didn't think you would! 

I think you could use ANY kind of jelly with this.  It is traditionally made with apricot, and I accidentally grabbed peach.  Holy yum batman.  I made this in an odd size pan, but it worked perfectly.  Use a jelly roll pan, or whatever you want to use.  I mean, you know how I roll, just do whatchawannado. 

Here we go, and again, thank you Michelle for sending this and it has become a staple.  It is so easy and so quick, you just can't say no!!

Jam Squares
2 1/4 cups flour
1 tbsp. baking powder
1/8 tsp salt
1/2 cup butter (room temp)
1 1/2 tbsp. vegetable oil
3/4 cup granulated sugar
1 large egg
1- 18oz jar of apricot or peach jelly

Preheat your oven to 350 degrees F.

Sift the flour, baking powder, and salt together.
Cream the butter, oil, sugar and egg together.  Add flour mixture to egg mixture and mix until a dough forms. 
Using 2/3 of the dough, push it into the bottom of your greased pan.  Spread the entire jar of jelly evenly over the top. 

Take the last 1/3 of the dough and crumble it over the top of the jelly. 

Bake until the top becomes golden brown.  I seriously can't remember how long I baked it.  I think it was 20 minutes.  However, literally, when the top becomes golden, it is done.

Let cool about 15 minutes and cut into square. 

Now the truth of the matter is, I just mixed all of the ingredients together in my stand mixer.  It came out perfectly.  So whichever way, tickles your fancy, go with it!

Your "doinwhatIwannado" Chefwannabe

Sweet Valentine's Treat - Raspberry Palmiers

Have you been shopping today?  Do you have a special something picked out for that special someone?  I do, I do!  Remember, if money is an issue, just write a love letter, if money is NOT an issue, write a love letter! Write one to a friend, a spouse, a child, a parent, a friend.  Even though this holiday is traditionally one for lovers, who says it has to be?  I can't think of a better day than a special day specifically for showing your love to someone else.  I think it is marvelous!  Add a few candles to your dinner table, run someone a bubble bath, those things don't cost money and frankly, I would adore both!

The weather was so drab here today I had to something to cheer it up a little!  A chefwannabe reader, Ann, requested  raspberry CHOCOLATE palmiers, however, I sort of forgot about the chocolate part and I am kind of glad I did.  Sorry Ann!  These are SO good and so sweetly colored for Valentine's day!  These are also known as elephant ears.  They are made from puff pastry, and no, I did not, and for the record never will make my own puff pastry.  Puff pastry, for those unfamiliar,  is dough that is layered with melted butter, layer after layer, which makes the dough so flaky and "puff" when it is baked (because of the steam).

Now, please use parchment paper.  Even if you have a silpat just use parchment!  This is so easy, 3 ingredients in this recipe.  Thank you Pepperidge Farms for making this so easy!  (shouts out in my best "SKYYNNAARRDDDD" voice)

Here is all you need!!

1 box of puff pastry, you will only need 1 of the sheets (take it out 30 min before using or put in the fridge over night to thaw)
1/2 cup sugar
1/4 cup raspberry jam  or any jam! (more if you want but it will just squeeze out and go to waste)

Preheat your oven to 375 degrees.   Place parchment paper on your counter, sprinkle it with sugar and unfold puff pastry and lay it on top.  If it tears at the seam, no biggie, it is a very easy fix.  Using a rolling pin, roll over it a few times to smooth it and to push the sugar underneath it into the dough.   Slide the parchment with dough on it unto a cookie sheet.

 

Sprinkle more sugar on top and then spread jam over entire sheet of puff pastry.

Needed one more roll so they were on top of each other!  Get it?

Fold each side in until they meet in the middle and then fold on top of the other.  Refrigerate 15-30 minutes, remove and slice into approx 1/2 inch slices, lay flat on the parchment and bake 15 minutes.  Let cool and then enjoy!

before baking, I know, I am messy!

If you like caramelized sugar, and raspberry filling you will be in heaven.  They are a little crunchy from the caramelization and flaky from the puff pastry.  They even look like fancy hearts!  They are sometimes called "French Hearts".  I hope you enjoy this sweet little dessert!

Happy Valentine's Day!

 

Your "french pastry chef" wannabe

Chris

P.S.  The spellchecker kept wanting to change "caramelization" to "cannibalism" wth?  Freaky dudes.