Spanish Almond Squares

This Spanish-inspired almond treat is unique and tasty.

Prep:

15 Minutes

Cook Time: 35 Minutes

Serves: 8-12

Ingredients:

1 pkg. Wewalka Pie Crust Dough
4 eggs
1 pinch salt
1/2 cup butter, melted
1 cup sugar
1 tsp. lemon zest
Pulp from 1 vanilla bean (or 1 tsp. vanilla extract)
1 cup almonds, ground
1/2 cup flour
1 tsp. baking powder
4 Tbsp. almonds, sliced
Confectioners' sugar

Baking Tips

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Let dough sit on counter for 15-20 minutes, then unroll carefully and flip into a pie pan, fluting the edges as desired. Cover the dough with removed parchment paper and weigh down with pie weights or dry rice or beans. Blind bake about 15 minutes at 425°F or until light brown; take out of oven and remove paper and weights. Bake for additional 3-5 minutes. Cool on cooling rack.

If you don’t have or want to use pie weights, carefully prick the bottom and sides with a fork many times to prevent air bubbles. Don’t use a fork if your pie will be filled with a super moist filling, as the tiny holes will allow filling to soften the dough.

Note: You can store used dry beans or dry rice in a special container and mark it as 'pie weights.’ You can use them for additional blind baking sessions, but you cannot use them for regular meals anymore.

Use a heat-resistant glass or ceramic pie pan for the flakiest results. Single use aluminum shells don’t get as hot and won’t give you the same results.

Bake the pie on the middle rack or in the lower third of the oven.

Insert a knife tip to test if the pie filling is done. If some filling sticks on the knife the pie is not done yet. Add more baking time and repeat test in 5 min. intervals.

To prevent excess browning of the edges during baking, place the pie dish on a large sheet of aluminum foil. Mold foil lightly around the edges of the pie 20 minutes into baking; then continue to bake as directed.

To unroll the dough, remove dough from package and gently separate the dough and parchment paper from the roll, so that the dough on paper begins to lay flat. Be careful not to separate the dough from the parchment paper. There may be some sticking, but the dough and paper should easily pull away from the roll.

Once the dough is lying flat on the baking tray, cut off or tuck any excess paper under, so it does not hang over the edge.

Do not over handle the pie crust as it toughens the dough. Use our enclosed parchment paper to flip the dough in the pie pan, and use only your fingertips when shaping it. Avoid using the warmer palms of the hand

If your pie recipe calls for a super moist filling, you can blind-bake the crust and then moisture-proof it, to avoid sogginess.

Brush dough with a bit of egg white before it goes in the oven, or even right after it comes out of the oven. Moist fillings won’t soften the dough and it stays firm.

You can also distribute about 3 tablespoons of breadcrumbs on the bottom before you add the moist filling to the dough. The breadcrumbs absorb some of the moisture and help to keep the dough dry and for a flakier result.

Don’t prick the dough with a fork if you want to moisture proof it.

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Directions

1. Take the refrigerated Pie Crust Dough out of the fridge 15 min. before usage. Preheat oven to 360°F. Unroll the tempered Pie Crust Dough on parchment paper. With help of the paper, flip the dough into a tart pan or square baking pan. Remove paper and press firmly against bottom and sides. If using baking pan, cut or stretch dough to fill baking pan. Using your fingers, form a ¾ -1-inch-high edge around the inside of the pan. Pierce the pastry base with a fork at evenly spaced intervals.

2. Separate the egg yolks from the whites. Beat the egg whites with 1 pinch salt until stiff.

3. Beat together the egg yolks, melted butter, sugar, lemon zest, and vanilla pulp until creamy.

4. Add the ground almonds, flour and baking powder to the egg yolk mixture and mix well. Fold in the beaten egg whites.

5. Distribute the almond mixture over the dough. Smooth out the surface and sprinkle evenly with sliced almonds.

6. Bake on the bottom rack of the preheated oven for 35-40 minutes. Remove from the oven, let cool, and cut into slices or squares. Serve sprinkled with confectioners’ sugar.

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