Fruitcake Quick Fix Bars Food

FRUITCAKE BARS

Steps:

• Preheat oven to 350 degrees. Brush a 9-by-13-inch baking pan with butter. Line with parchment paper, leaving a 2-inch overhang on two sides; butter paper, and set aside. In a medium bowl, whisk together flour and salt; set aside.
• In a medium saucepan, heat brandy until simmering. Remove from heat, and stir in fruit; cool to room temperature. Toss brandied fruit with 1 cup flour mixture; set aside.
• Using an electric mixer, beat butter and brown sugar until light and fluffy. Add eggs, one at a time, beating well after each addition; mix in vanilla. With mixer on low, add remaining flour mixture; mix just until combined. Fold in fruit mixture; transfer batter to prepared pan, and smooth top.
• Bake until a toothpick inserted in center of cake comes out clean, 45 to 50 minutes. Cool in pan for 1 hour. Using paper overhang, lift out of pan; transfer to a wire rack to cool completely (still on paper). Invert fruitcake, and peel off paper; flip upright, and cut into 24 diamonds with a serrated knife. Dust with confectioners' sugar, if desired.

FRUITCAKE BARS

Steps:

• In a large bowl, cream the butter and brown sugar until light and fluffy. Add eggs, one at a time, beating well after each. Stir in vanilla. Add flour and walnuts; mix well. Spread evenly into a greased 15x10x1-in. baking pan. Sprinkle with pineapple, cherries and dates; press lightly into dough. , Bake at 325° for 45-50 minutes or until lightly browned. Cool on a wire rack. Cut into bars.

FESTIVE FRUITCAKE BARS

Steps:

• Heat oven to 350°F. Grease and flour rectangular pan, 13x9x2 inches. In large bowl, mix 1 cup flour, the brown sugar, butter, orange peel, baking soda, cinnamon, salt and egg with spoon.
• In medium bowl, mix 1/4 cup flour, the cherries, dates and pecans; stir into brown sugar mixture. Spread in pan.
• Bake about 35 minutes or until toothpick inserted in center comes out clean. Cool completely, about 1 hour.
• In 1-quart saucepan, heat all Orange Glaze ingredients over medium heat, stirring occasionally, until mixture thickens slightly. Drizzle cooled bars with glaze. For bars, cut into 8 rows by 3 rows.

HOLIDAY FRUITCAKE BARS

Steps:

• Beat eggs with a mixer until they are golden yellow and doubled in volume - 2 or 3 minutes.
• Add in 1 cup sifted powdered sugar and vanilla.
• Mix together flour, baking powder and salt.
• Take 2 tablespoons of flour mixture and stir in with candied fruit, nuts and currants, to keep fruit from clumping in the batter.
• Add the rest of the flour mix to the eggs and sugar.
• Fold fruit and nuts into batter.
• Spoon batter into a well greased 11" by 7" pan.
• Some years I use parchment paper instead.
• Bake at 350 degrees for 30 minutes.
• Mix together rum and second cup of powdered sugar to make a glaze.
• Spread the icing onto the bars about 5 minutes after they've come out of the oven.
• Let bars cool and cut into bars.

FRUITCAKE QUICK FIX BARS

Steps:

• Preheat oven to 350.
• Line an 11x7 baking pan with aluminum foil and spray the foil with non-stick cooking spray.
• If necessary, dice any large slices of dried fruit. To a small saucepan, add the dried mixed fruit and dried cranberries, orange juice and rum or brandy. Bring to a simmer for about one minute and then take off heat, allowing to marinate for a few minutes while toasting the nuts. Drain well.
• Add the 1 tablespoon of butter to a saute pan to melt over medium heat, when melted, add nuts. Stirring frequently, toast the nuts until you can begin to smell them toasting and are hot to the touch and starting to brown. This takes usually not more than about five minutes in total, give or take based on your own experience with cooking times in your own kitchen.
• Cream the butter, sugar, brown sugar and honey until well mixed and fluffy. Add the eggs, one at a time, mixing well after each addition. Continue to beat mixture until very light and fluffy, usually about two or three minutes with most mixers.
• Add spices, baking soda and salt, along with vanilla extract or vanilla bean seeds, blending until completely evenly distributed throughout. Add half of flour, mixing gently, until most of the flour has been blended inches Add second half of flour and blend until it is evenly blended. Fold in drained fruit and nuts, folding just until they are evenly distributed. Over mixing of flour into a cake batter can create a heavy and/or tough cake, due to the gluten in the flour developing.
• Spread the batter in the prepared pan and bake until golden brown and cake tester, such as a toothpick, comes out clean, about 35-45 minutes. Remove pan from oven and place on cooling rack.
• Mix powdered sugar, cream and liquer together until well blended, adding more cream, water or liquer, as needed, to make a thick glaze. When bars are cool, or almost cool if you are in a hurry, spread glaze across across top of bars. Garnish with decorative sprinkles, dried or candied fruit, candied citrus peel or flowers, or anything else that suits the occasion.
• Store in airtight container, after the glaze has set completely, best to separate layers with foil or waxed paper. These should last at least a week covered and are suitable for mailing and other transport, if packed to snugly.

FRUITCAKE BARS

Steps:

• Heat oven to 375 degrees.
• With an electric mixer on medium high, beat the butter, brown and granulated sugars, corn syrup and vanilla for 3 minutes. Add the egg and beat until combined. In a separate bowl, whisk togetheer the flour, salt and baking soda. Reduce mixer speed to low and slowly add the flour mixture to the egg mixture. Add cranberries, pecans and rum.
• Spread batter in a butter or parchment lined 9 inch square baking pan. Bake for 35 minutes. Transfer pan to a wire rack. Cool for 10 minutes before slicing.

FRUITCAKE BARS

Steps:

• Sift together flour & soda.
• Combine with remaining ingredients in a large bowl and mix thoroughly.
• Preheat oven to 300 degrees.
• Spread batter in a greased 10x15" jelly roll pan and bake 40-45 minutes or until center tests done with a toothpick.
• Cool on rack before cutting into 1x1 1/2" squares.