Raisin Squares Italian Bakery Style

This recipe comes from a local Italian bakery shop. They are made with raisin filling or canned apple pie filling also. Give them a try.

• Ready In: 45 mins
• Serves: 20

Ingredients

• 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

• Filling

• 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

Directions

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.