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Peach Squares

By America's Test Kitchen

Published on July 25, 2011

Yield

Makes 24 squares

Peach Squares

Ingredients

1 ½ cups (7½ ounces/213 grams) all-purpose flour 1 ¾ cups sliced almonds ⅓ cup (2⅓ ounces/66 grams) granulated sugar ⅓ cup packed (2⅓ ounces/66 grams) plus 1 tablespoon packed light brown sugar, divided½ teaspoon table salt 12 tablespoons cold unsalted butter (1 ½ sticks), cut into ½-inch pieces1 ½ pounds (680 grams) frozen peaches, partially thawed½ cup peach preserves ½ teaspoon grated lemon zest 1 teaspoon fresh lemon juice

Before You Begin

Although any brand of frozen peaches or peach preserves will work, the test kitchen prefers Whole Foods 365 frozen peaches and Smucker's preserves.

Instructions

  1. Adjust oven rack to middle position and heat oven to 375 degrees. Line 13 by 9-inch baking pan with aluminum foil, allowing excess to overhang pan edges. Spray pan with cooking spray. Process flour, 11/4 cups almonds, granulated sugar, 1/3 cup brown sugar, and 1/2 teaspoon salt in food processor until combined, about 5 seconds. Add butter and pulse mixture until it resembles coarse meal (some pea-sized pieces of butter will remain), about twenty 1-second pulses.
  2. Transfer 1/2 cup flour mixture to small bowl and set aside. Press remaining flour mixture firmly and evenly into bottom of prepared baking pan (see photo 1). Bake until golden brown, about 15 minutes. Meanwhile, toss remaining 1 tablespoon brown sugar with reserved flour mixture. Set aside.
  3. While crust is baking, remove blade from food processor and wipe out workbowl. Pulse peaches and preserves in food processor until mixture has 1/4-inch chunks, about five 1-second pulses (if larger chunks remain, scrape down sides and pulse 2 more times). Cook peach mixture in large nonstick skillet over high heat until thickened and jam-like, about 10 minutes. Off heat, add pinch salt, lemon zest, and lemon juice. Pour mixture over hot crust.
  4. Using fingers, pinch reserved flour mixture to create dime-sized clumps (see photo 2) and sprinkle over peaches. Sprinkle remaining 1/2 cup almonds over top and bake until almonds are golden brown, about 20 minutes. Cool to room temperature, at least 2 hours. Using foil overhang, lift from pan and cut into 24 squares. Squares are best served on day they are baked because the crust can become soggy with time. (See below for reheating instructions.)
  5. to reheat

  6. To revive, simply place leftover squares side by side (with no spaces in between the squares) on a baking sheet and heat in a 350-degree oven until the bottoms are crisp, 10 to 12 minutes. Allow to cool back to room temperature before eating.
Peach Squares

Peach Squares

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By America's Test Kitchen
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Yield

Makes 24 squares

Ingredients

1 ½ cups (7½ ounces/213 grams) all-purpose flour
1 ¾ cups sliced almonds
⅓ cup (2⅓ ounces/66 grams) granulated sugar
⅓ cup packed (2⅓ ounces/66 grams) plus 1 tablespoon packed light brown sugar, divided
½ teaspoon table salt
12 tablespoons cold unsalted butter (1 ½ sticks), cut into ½-inch pieces
1 ½ pounds (680 grams) frozen peaches, partially thawed
½ cup peach preserves
½ teaspoon grated lemon zest
1 teaspoon fresh lemon juice

Test Kitchen Techniques

Ingredients

1 ½ cups (7½ ounces/213 grams) all-purpose flour
1 ¾ cups sliced almonds
⅓ cup (2⅓ ounces/66 grams) granulated sugar
⅓ cup packed (2⅓ ounces/66 grams) plus 1 tablespoon packed light brown sugar, divided
½ teaspoon table salt
12 tablespoons cold unsalted butter (1 ½ sticks), cut into ½-inch pieces
1 ½ pounds (680 grams) frozen peaches, partially thawed
½ cup peach preserves
½ teaspoon grated lemon zest
1 teaspoon fresh lemon juice

Test Kitchen Techniques

Ingredients

1 ½ cups (7½ ounces/213 grams) all-purpose flour
1 ¾ cups sliced almonds
⅓ cup (2⅓ ounces/66 grams) granulated sugar
⅓ cup packed (2⅓ ounces/66 grams) plus 1 tablespoon packed light brown sugar, divided
½ teaspoon table salt
12 tablespoons cold unsalted butter (1 ½ sticks), cut into ½-inch pieces
1 ½ pounds (680 grams) frozen peaches, partially thawed
½ cup peach preserves
½ teaspoon grated lemon zest
1 teaspoon fresh lemon juice

Test Kitchen Techniques

Why This Recipe Works

Two qualities define a great peach square recipe: Its ability to deliver intense peach flavor and enough sturdiness to allow the squares to be eaten out of hand. To satisfy both of these, we started our Peach Squares recipe with frozen peaches for their convenience and consistent quality. We concentrated the peach flavor by chopping them first in a food processor and then cooking them down in a skillet with peach preserves. As for our recipe’s outside, we opted for a simple streusel, which served as both crust and topping.

Before You Begin

Although any brand of frozen peaches or peach preserves will work, the test kitchen prefers Whole Foods 365 frozen peaches and Smucker's preserves.

Instructions

  1. Adjust oven rack to middle position and heat oven to 375 degrees. Line 13 by 9-inch baking pan with aluminum foil, allowing excess to overhang pan edges. Spray pan with cooking spray. Process flour, 11/4 cups almonds, granulated sugar, 1/3 cup brown sugar, and 1/2 teaspoon salt in food processor until combined, about 5 seconds. Add butter and pulse mixture until it resembles coarse meal (some pea-sized pieces of butter will remain), about twenty 1-second pulses.
  2. Transfer 1/2 cup flour mixture to small bowl and set aside. Press remaining flour mixture firmly and evenly into bottom of prepared baking pan (see photo 1). Bake until golden brown, about 15 minutes. Meanwhile, toss remaining 1 tablespoon brown sugar with reserved flour mixture. Set aside.
  3. While crust is baking, remove blade from food processor and wipe out workbowl. Pulse peaches and preserves in food processor until mixture has 1/4-inch chunks, about five 1-second pulses (if larger chunks remain, scrape down sides and pulse 2 more times). Cook peach mixture in large nonstick skillet over high heat until thickened and jam-like, about 10 minutes. Off heat, add pinch salt, lemon zest, and lemon juice. Pour mixture over hot crust.
  4. Using fingers, pinch reserved flour mixture to create dime-sized clumps (see photo 2) and sprinkle over peaches. Sprinkle remaining 1/2 cup almonds over top and bake until almonds are golden brown, about 20 minutes. Cool to room temperature, at least 2 hours. Using foil overhang, lift from pan and cut into 24 squares. Squares are best served on day they are baked because the crust can become soggy with time. (See below for reheating instructions.)
  5. to reheat

  6. To revive, simply place leftover squares side by side (with no spaces in between the squares) on a baking sheet and heat in a 350-degree oven until the bottoms are crisp, 10 to 12 minutes. Allow to cool back to room temperature before eating.

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