Chapel Squares
By America's Test KitchenPublished on October 13, 2011
Time
2 hours, plus 1 hour chilling and 2½ hours cooling
Yield
Makes 24 squares
Ingredients
Crust
½ cup whole milk 2 large eggs, separated, whites beaten lightly2 ½ cups (12 ½ ounces/354 grams) all-purpose flour 2 tablespoons granulated sugar ½ teaspoon salt 11 tablespoons vegetable shortening, cut into ½-inch pieces and chilled5 tablespoons unsalted butter, cut into ¼-inch pieces chilledFilling
¾ cup dried sour cherries 4 teaspoons water 1 ¾ pounds (794 grams) Haralson or Granny Smith apples, peeled, cored, and sliced thin (about 4 apples)12 ounces (340 grams) Fireside or Golden Delicious apples, peeled, cored, and sliced thin (about 2 apples)⅔ cup (4 ⅔ ounces/132 grams) granulated sugar ½ teaspoon ground cinnamon ⅛ teaspoon salt 4 ounces (113 grams) almond paste, cut into ¼-inch piecesGlaze
1 ¼ cups (5 ounces/142 grams) confectioners' sugar 3 tablespoons whole milk ¼ teaspoon almond extractBefore You Begin
You’ll need an 18 by 13-inch rimmed nonstick baking sheet. Use almond paste, not marzipan (which is sweeter and smoother).
Instructions
- Whisk milk and egg yolks together. Pulse flour, sugar, and salt in food processor until combined, about 3 pulses. Add shortening and pulse until mixture resembles coarse cornmeal, about 10 pulses. Add butter and pulse until mixture resembles coarse crumbs, about 10 pulses. Transfer mixture to large bowl.
- Pour milk mixture over flour mixture and combine, using rubber spatula to press dough firmly until it comes together. Transfer dough to clean counter and divide into 2 equal pieces. Place each piece of dough on sheet of plastic wrap and flatten into 4-inch square. Wrap tightly and refrigerate for 1 hour.
- Adjust oven rack to lowest position and heat oven to 400 degrees. Microwave cherries and water in covered bowl until steaming, about 1 minute. Let sit until cherries have softened and cooled to room temperature, about 30 minutes. Combine softened cherry mixture, apples, sugar, cinnamon, and salt in large bowl; set aside.
- Let dough soften at room temperature for 10 minutes. Roll 1 dough square between 2 large sheets of parchment paper into 19 by 14-inch rectangle. Remove top piece of parchment. Loosely roll dough around rolling pin, then unroll dough over 18 by 13-inch rimmed baking sheet. Gently fit dough into sheet and up the sides and sprinkle with almond paste. Drain apple mixture thoroughly, then spread over dough-lined sheet. Cover with plastic and refrigerate until needed.
- Roll remaining 1 dough square between 2 large sheets of parchment into 19 by 14-inch rectangle. Remove top piece of parchment. Loosely roll dough around rolling pin, then unroll it over filling. Trim and fold edges of dough together. Crimp, using fork.
- Cut 1-inch slits in top crust at 2-inch intervals, then brush with egg whites. Bake bars for 10 minutes, then reduce oven temperature to 350 degrees and continue to bake until juices are bubbling and crust is golden brown, 40 to 45 minutes, rotating sheet halfway through baking. Let bars cool in sheet on wire rack for 30 minutes.
- Whisk sugar, milk, and almond extract together in bowl until smooth. Drizzle glaze over bars and let cool until filling has set, about 2 hours. Cut into squares. Serve.
for the crust
for the filling
for the glaze
Time
2 hours, plus 1 hour chilling and 2½ hours coolingYield
Makes 24 squaresIngredients
Crust
½ cup whole milk
2 large eggs, separated, whites beaten lightly
2 ½ cups (12 ½ ounces/354 grams) all-purpose flour
2 tablespoons granulated sugar
½ teaspoon salt
11 tablespoons vegetable shortening, cut into ½-inch pieces and chilled
5 tablespoons unsalted butter, cut into ¼-inch pieces chilled
Filling
¾ cup dried sour cherries
4 teaspoons water
1 ¾ pounds (794 grams) Haralson or Granny Smith apples, peeled, cored, and sliced thin (about 4 apples)
12 ounces (340 grams) Fireside or Golden Delicious apples, peeled, cored, and sliced thin (about 2 apples)
⅔ cup (4 ⅔ ounces/132 grams) granulated sugar
½ teaspoon ground cinnamon
⅛ teaspoon salt
4 ounces (113 grams) almond paste, cut into ¼-inch pieces
Glaze
1 ¼ cups (5 ounces/142 grams) confectioners' sugar
3 tablespoons whole milk
¼ teaspoon almond extract
Ingredients
Crust
½ cup whole milk
2 large eggs, separated, whites beaten lightly
2 ½ cups (12 ½ ounces/354 grams) all-purpose flour
2 tablespoons granulated sugar
½ teaspoon salt
11 tablespoons vegetable shortening, cut into ½-inch pieces and chilled
5 tablespoons unsalted butter, cut into ¼-inch pieces chilled
Filling
¾ cup dried sour cherries
4 teaspoons water
1 ¾ pounds (794 grams) Haralson or Granny Smith apples, peeled, cored, and sliced thin (about 4 apples)
12 ounces (340 grams) Fireside or Golden Delicious apples, peeled, cored, and sliced thin (about 2 apples)
⅔ cup (4 ⅔ ounces/132 grams) granulated sugar
½ teaspoon ground cinnamon
⅛ teaspoon salt
4 ounces (113 grams) almond paste, cut into ¼-inch pieces
Glaze
1 ¼ cups (5 ounces/142 grams) confectioners' sugar
3 tablespoons whole milk
¼ teaspoon almond extract
Ingredients
Crust
½ cup whole milk
2 large eggs, separated, whites beaten lightly
2 ½ cups (12 ½ ounces/354 grams) all-purpose flour
2 tablespoons granulated sugar
½ teaspoon salt
11 tablespoons vegetable shortening, cut into ½-inch pieces and chilled
5 tablespoons unsalted butter, cut into ¼-inch pieces chilled
Filling
¾ cup dried sour cherries
4 teaspoons water
1 ¾ pounds (794 grams) Haralson or Granny Smith apples, peeled, cored, and sliced thin (about 4 apples)
12 ounces (340 grams) Fireside or Golden Delicious apples, peeled, cored, and sliced thin (about 2 apples)
⅔ cup (4 ⅔ ounces/132 grams) granulated sugar
½ teaspoon ground cinnamon
⅛ teaspoon salt
4 ounces (113 grams) almond paste, cut into ¼-inch pieces
Glaze
1 ¼ cups (5 ounces/142 grams) confectioners' sugar
3 tablespoons whole milk
¼ teaspoon almond extract
Why This Recipe Works
This recipe submission to our America's Best Lost Recipes contest is essentially a new spin on slab or hand-held pies. Flaky pie dough is rolled into a rimmed baking sheet, layered with crumbled almond paste and a sweetened cherry and apple mixture, and topped with another sheet of dough. After baking, the pie gets another hit of almond with a drizzled glaze.
Before You Begin
You’ll need an 18 by 13-inch rimmed nonstick baking sheet. Use almond paste, not marzipan (which is sweeter and smoother).
Instructions
- Whisk milk and egg yolks together. Pulse flour, sugar, and salt in food processor until combined, about 3 pulses. Add shortening and pulse until mixture resembles coarse cornmeal, about 10 pulses. Add butter and pulse until mixture resembles coarse crumbs, about 10 pulses. Transfer mixture to large bowl.
- Pour milk mixture over flour mixture and combine, using rubber spatula to press dough firmly until it comes together. Transfer dough to clean counter and divide into 2 equal pieces. Place each piece of dough on sheet of plastic wrap and flatten into 4-inch square. Wrap tightly and refrigerate for 1 hour.
- Adjust oven rack to lowest position and heat oven to 400 degrees. Microwave cherries and water in covered bowl until steaming, about 1 minute. Let sit until cherries have softened and cooled to room temperature, about 30 minutes. Combine softened cherry mixture, apples, sugar, cinnamon, and salt in large bowl; set aside.
- Let dough soften at room temperature for 10 minutes. Roll 1 dough square between 2 large sheets of parchment paper into 19 by 14-inch rectangle. Remove top piece of parchment. Loosely roll dough around rolling pin, then unroll dough over 18 by 13-inch rimmed baking sheet. Gently fit dough into sheet and up the sides and sprinkle with almond paste. Drain apple mixture thoroughly, then spread over dough-lined sheet. Cover with plastic and refrigerate until needed.
- Roll remaining 1 dough square between 2 large sheets of parchment into 19 by 14-inch rectangle. Remove top piece of parchment. Loosely roll dough around rolling pin, then unroll it over filling. Trim and fold edges of dough together. Crimp, using fork.
- Cut 1-inch slits in top crust at 2-inch intervals, then brush with egg whites. Bake bars for 10 minutes, then reduce oven temperature to 350 degrees and continue to bake until juices are bubbling and crust is golden brown, 40 to 45 minutes, rotating sheet halfway through baking. Let bars cool in sheet on wire rack for 30 minutes.
- Whisk sugar, milk, and almond extract together in bowl until smooth. Drizzle glaze over bars and let cool until filling has set, about 2 hours. Cut into squares. Serve.
for the crust
for the filling
for the glaze
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