Raisin Squares Italian Bakery Style

Total Time: 45 mins Preparation Time: 20 mins Cook Time: 25 mins

Ingredients

• Servings: 20
• 1 cup lard, room temperature
• 3 1/2 cups all-purpose flour
• 1/2 cup granulated sugar
• 1 teaspoon salt
• 3 teaspoons baking powder
• 1 large whole egg
• 1 teaspoon vanilla
• milk
• flour, for rolling dough
• 3 cups boiling water
• 3 1/2 cups raisins, washed
• 1 cup granulated sugar
• 4 tablespoons flour
• 1/2 teaspoon salt
• 1/4 cup fresh lemon juice

Recipe

• 1 wash raisins.
• 2 add to the boiling water on low heat in saucepot.
• 3 add remaining filling ingredients, salt, sugar, flour, juice, and cook just until thick.
• 4 remove from heat and let cool well.
• 5 crust:.
• 6 mix egg with vanilla and add enough cream or whole milk to make one cup of liquid.
• 7 combine remaining ingredients flour, sugar, salt, and lard and lifting to air and rub to make a coarse pea size crumb.
• 8 add in liquid and just combine to make a ball of pastry.
• 9 divide pastry into two .
• 10 dust a board with the flour for rolling and roll one section to fit a 17 x 14 sided ungreased cookie sheet.
• 11 spread on cooled raisin filling, or canned apple filling.
• 12 roll second half of dough, and place nicely on the top, sealing edges.
• 13 prick all over top with a fork and brush with more cream.
• 14 sprinkle with granulated fine or coarse sugar over evenly.
• 15 bake 350° for 25 minutes until golden.