Cherry Squares

After we got home with the box, we were too excited about the prospect of our culinary adventure, so we decided we had to start cooking right then.  But it was kind of late, so we decided cooking supper right then probably wan't the best of all ideas.  We also wanted to use a recipe that was written in Ms. Claire's handwriting.  So, after some very careful consideration, we decided these would be the best option for a late night snack. :) 

Cherry Squares

What you’ll need:

·        4 Cups Flour

·        1 Cup Sugar

·        2 Tsp. Baking Powder

·        2 Cups Crisco

·        1 Cup Buttermilk

·        1 Tsp. Baking Soda

·        3 Eggs

2   2  Cans of Duncan Hines Cherry Pie Filling*

Note: we halved the recipe - a whole 9x13 pan of cherry squares seemed a bit much for the two of us.

*Ms. Claire's recipe calls for Comstock Cherries. We wanted to stick with her brand suggestions if possible, but we couldn't find "Comstock" at Walmart. We opted for Duncan Hines instead. Turns out (after a bit of Googl'ing) that Comstock = Duncan Hines now...yay us!

Now, on to the recipe:

What to Do:

 Mix flour, sugar, and baking powder in a large mixing bowl.

Cut in crisco, buttermilk, and baking soda.  Add eggs.

If the mixture seems wet, it's ok.  Ours did.  

Alana: "Do you think we should add more flour?"

Kait:  "Well, I mean, it’s good like it is…as I lick the sides of the bowl."

           

Spread the mixture in a pan and up the sides. (We used a 9 inch pie pan.)

Fill the pan with cherry filling and top with the rest of the dough. The recipe card actually said: "Save a little bit for the top" - this was Alana's assumption of what Ms. Claire meant by that.

At this point in the process, we realized Ms. Claire had neglected to include ANY information about bake time or temp - so very Claire of her. So, like any rational semi-skilled cooks would do...we faked it. 

Bake on 350 degrees for 30 minutes uncovered and another 15 minutes covered with tin foil.  At the end of the 45 minutes, take it out of the oven; let it cool for about 15 minutes.  Cut into squares or slices.  We used a pie dish, so ours were slices.  

·            

Alana:  "It’s just going to be like cobbler.  We didn’t succeed in making squares….mostly  because we made them in a round pan…"

After a few bites, we realized our assumptions were correct - it was pretty much cobbler. The breading tasted a lot like "really sweet cornbread" (according to Kait), and the overall texture was warm and fluffy. Kait best summed up our overall impression of our first adventure - 

"I'm just kinda relieved Ms. Claire is a good cook!"

Til next time, friends!