Here is my version of Italian Bakery-style Fig Squares or Raisin Squares.
I use MIXED DRIED FRUIT with a hint of orange. My filling mixture here was raisins, prunes, and dates. For the fruit filling you can be traditional and use just figs, or use a combination of figs, apricots, mangos, peaches. Use any dried fruit combination you like! I just love all dried fruit!
The CRUST IS PERFECT for this! It is nice and sturdy to hold the heavy fruit filling and so the squares stay intact when you pick them up. And it’s a very tasty dough too. You really should use this dough recipe so the squares won’t be soggy!
This special treat is definitely worth the effort!
This recipe makes 24 large squares. To change the number of servings, use the RECIPE ADJUSTER CALCULATOR before you print to easily scale the ingredients up or down to adjust the servings you want.
Enjoy!
Mixed Fruit Squares~Italian Bakery Style
Ingredients
FRUIT FILLING:
- 3 cups water
- 3 ½ cups mixed dry fruit your choice
- 1 cup sugar
- 4 tablespoons flour
- ½ teaspoon salt
- ⅛ cup orange juice
- 1 tablespoon orange peel
DOUGH:
- 2 ¼ cups flour
- 1/3 cup sugar
- ½ teaspoon salt
- 1 ½ teaspoons baking powder
- ½ cup shortening
- 1 small egg
- 1 teaspoon vanilla
- milk see instructions
TOPPING
- 2 tablespoons milk
- 2 tablespoons sugar
Instructions
- Preheat oven to 350º.
- FRUIT FILLING: In a medium saucepan, boil the water.
- In a small bowl, mix the sugar, flour, and salt together.
- Add this to the boiling water along with the mixed fruit and cook until the filling is thick and bubbly.
- Remove it from the heat. Transfer it to a bowl, cover, and cool it in the refrigerator while you make the dough.
- DOUGH: In a large bowl, mix the flour, the 1/3 cup of sugar, salt, and baking powder.
- Cut in the shortening to the size of peas.
- In a one-cup measurement, beat the egg and vanilla together then add enough milk to equal one cup.
- Add this into the dry mixture and mix to form a dough.
- Divide the dough into two balls.
- TECHNIQUE: Roll one ball of dough into a rectangle big enough to fit into a 9×13-inch pan and going about a quarter up the sides.
- Spread the cooled mixed fruit filling onto the dough.
- Roll the remaining ball of dough to fit on top of the filling, sealing the edges and then crimping them.
- Brush the top crust with the 2 tablespoons of milk and then sprinkle the 2 tablespoons of sugar on top of the milk.
- Bake at 350º for 25 minutes until the crust is golden.
- Cool the pan on a wire rack before cutting and serving.
- These are delicious plain, or you can frost the top with a confectioner’s sugar glaze if you wish.
- Store the squares in the refrigerator.
Look sooo good. I’ve got to try this recipe! Especially since you said they freeze well.
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So-oo glad you are going to try them!! Let me know how they come out and if you had to freeze any!
Looks really good Angie. what kind of dried fruit do you use?
HI Diane! These are SO-OO Good! But I am biased because I LOVE dried fruit any way! You can use whatever dried fruit you like best or whatever you have on hand. In this one I used dark raisins, dried apricots, and prunes. Another time I used a package of dried mixed fruit and added raisins, and prunes to equal that 3 1/2 cups. It really doesn’t seem to matter! These are a step-up from the delicious bakery ones! They last a long while in the frig too!