California Cling Peach & Raspberry Shortbread Squares
Ingredients
For the Crust and Topping:
3 cups all purpose flour
1 cup sugar
1 tsp baking powder
½ tsp salt
2 sticks chilled butter, cut up
⅓ cup pecans, chopped
For the Filling:
2 (15 oz) cans California Cling Peaches, any cut, strained and diced (reserve juice)
½ cup peach juice (strained from the cans)
½ cup sugar
2 Tbsp cornstarch
¼ tsp salt
½ cup raspberry jam
Preparation
Preheat oven to 350ºF. Line a 13x9x2 inch pan with parchment paper.
For the Crust:
In a large bowl, mix together the flour, sugar, baking powder and salt. Cut in the butter using a mixer or pastry blender until it resembles large crumbs.
Reserve 1 cup of the flour mixture for the topping. Add the pecans to the topping mixture. Set aside.
Press the remaining flour mixture into the bottom of the prepared pan.
Bake for 12-15 minutes, until lightly browned.
For the Filling:
Drain the peaches, reserving ½ cup of the juice.
In a medium size saucepan, combine the peaches, the juice, sugar, cornstarch and salt. Simmer over medium heat until the mixture thickens and the cornstarch is dissolved, about 8-10 minutes.
Pour the peach mixture evenly over the shortbread crust.
Spoon jam over peach mixture in little dollops.
Sprinkle with the crumb pecan topping mixture.
Bake for 20-25 minutes. The filling should be bubbling around the edges, and the crumb topping should be browning.
Cool slightly before cutting into squares. Store in the refrigerator for up to 5 days.
