Aunt Helens Almond Raspberry Rice Squares Food

ALMOND CHERRY PEPITA BARS

Steps:

• Preheat an oven to 325 degrees F. Coat an 8-inch square glass baking dish with cooking spray. Line the bottom with a piece of parchment or waxed paper leaving a 4-inch overhang on two opposite sides and spray the paper with cooking spray.
• Put 1 cup of the rice cereal in a resealable plastic bag and crush to a fine powder with the back of the measuring cup. Combine the remaining 1 cup rice cereal, pepitas, almonds and cherries in a large bowl. Heat the rice syrup and almond butter in a small saucepan until warm and bubbling and remove from heat. Stir in the almond extract and salt, and pour into the nut mixture. Fold with a spatula until it is everything is moistened and well combined. Add the crushed rice cereal and continue to fold until evenly incorporated.
• Press the mixture very firmly and evenly into the prepared pan using the overhanging pieces of parchment to prevent sticking. Bake until beginning to brown, about 25 minutes. Cool 15 minutes on a wire rack, then press again to compact the mixture. Chill until firm but not completely set , about 45 minutes. Remove the block by the paper handles and invert onto a cutting board. Gently peel off the paper. Cut the block in half, then cut each half into 6 bars for 12 total. Refrigerate until fully set.
• Store the bars individually wrapped or layered between sheets of parchment or waxed paper in the refrigerator for up to 2 weeks. The bars will soften up and become chewy as they come to room temperature.

ALMOND RASPBERRY STARS

Steps:

• Cream butter and confectioners' sugar until light and fluffy, 5-7 minutes. Beat in extracts. Gradually beat flour into creamed mixture. Shape into a ball; refrigerate, covered, for 15 minutes. , Preheat oven to 350°. On a lightly floured surface, roll dough to 1/4-in. thickness. With floured cookie cutters, cut dough into equal numbers of 2-1/2-in. and 1-1/2-in. stars. Combine almonds, sugar and cinnamon. Brush small stars with egg white; immediately sprinkle with almond mixture. Leave large stars plain. , Place all stars 1 in. apart on ungreased baking sheets, using separate sheets for the small and the large stars. Bake just until tips begin to brown, about 10 minutes for small stars and 12 minutes for large. Cool completely on wire racks., To assemble, spread enough jam over large stars to cover centers. Top with small stars; press lightly (jam should show around edge of small stars). Let jam set before storing cookies in an airtight container.

CHOCOLATE RASPBERRY RICE CEREAL TREATS

Steps:

• Spray a 9-by-13-inch baking dish with nonstick cooking spray. Place a cooling rack on a baking sheet.
• Heat a large saucepan or Dutch oven over low heat, then add the butter and heat until melted. Add the marshmallows and stir until just melted, then stir in the cereal, salt and 1 cup raspberries until the cereal is coated. Use the cooking spray to spray your hands or a spatula and press the marshmallow mixture into the baking dish in an even layer.
• Let set up, 15 to 20 minutes, then add the cream and chocolate to a small saucepan. Stir over low heat until the chocolate is completely melted and combined. Remove to a bowl.
• Cut the treats into 1-inch squares and place on the cooling rack. Dip one corner of each treat into the chocolate, then return to the cooling rack and sprinkle with a little of the remaining raspberries. Let the chocolate cool completely, then serve.

AUNT HELEN'S ALMOND-RASPBERRY RICE SQUARES

Steps:

• Preheat the oven to 350°F.
• Line a 9" square pan with the pastry. (Not up the sides- just the bottom.) You may wish to line the bottom of the tin with parchment paper first.
• Spread the jam over the pastry.
• Cream the butter and sugar.
• Beat in the eggs and almond extract.
• Mix in the salt and rice flour.
• Scrape the batter over the jam, and spread it out carefully and evenly.
• Bake at 350°F for 30 minutes.
• Let cool.
• Cream the remaining butter, and beat in the icing sugar and almond extract.
• Thin with a little milk until a good spreading consistency is reached; about a tablespoon or so should do it.
• Spread the icing over the squares, then cut them and remove them from the pan.

RASPBERRY ALMOND SQUARES

Steps:

• Line an 8-inch-square baking pan with plastic wrap that extends over the sides, then coat the plastic wrap with the vegetable oil; set aside.
• In a 2-quart heavy-bottomed saucepan over medium-high heat, cook the jam, applesauce, and sugar until the mixture registers 240°F on a sugar thermometer (about 15 minutes), stirring constantly with a wooden spoon or heatproof spatula. Immediately remove the pan from the heat, stir in the lemon extract and chopped almonds, and turn the mixture into the prepared pan. Press the whole almonds on the top of the candy in evenly spaced rows of 8 across in each direction. Let the candy cool completely at room temperature (about 45 minutes).
• Remove the candy from the pan by lifting out the plastic wrap. Invert the candy onto a cutting board, peel the plastic wrap off the back, and reinvert the candy so that the nut side is up. With a large chef's knife, and using the whole almonds as a guide, cut the candy evenly into 1-inch squares.
• Line 2 baking sheets with parchment or waxed paper. Melt and temper the chocolate (see pages 25-30). Holding a square by the top half, dip the bottom and sides of the square into the chocolate, leaving the top exposed. Remove the square from the chocolate, carefully shake off the excess chocolate, and place the square onto the paper. Repeat with the remaining squares. Let the chocolate set up at room temperature, or chill in the refrigerator for 15 minutes. Place each square in a paper candy cup. Between layers of waxed paper, in a tightly covered container wrapped in several layers of aluminum foil, the squares will keep for 2 weeks in the refrigerator. They are best eaten at room temperature.
• VARIATIONS
• Substitute blackberry jam or strawberry jam for the raspberry jam. Substitute other nuts for the almonds.

RASPBERRY ALMOND BARS

Steps:

• In a large bowl, cream butter and sugar until light and fluffy. Add eggs, one at a time, beating well after each addition. Beat in extract. Combine flour and baking powder; gradually add to the creamed mixture and mix well. , Press into a greased 13-in. x 9-in. baking pan. With a moistened finger, make diagonal indentations every 2 in. in both directions, about 1/3 in. deep. , Fill indentations with jam. Bake at 350° for 40 minutes or until lightly browned. Cool on a wire rack. Cut into bars.

PARMESAN RICE SQUARES

Steps:

• Preheat oven to 300.
• On a cookie sheet, toss together the cereal and butter.
• Sprinkle with cheese and toast for 15 minutes, stirring every 5 minutes.
• Let cool and serve.