Sticky Fruitcake Squares

This recipe came from Chatelaine magazine. It has a shortbread crust & uses some traditional ingredients. I am not a fruitcake fan, but I like these. They freeze well.

• Ready In: 1 hr 10 mins
• Yields: 24-36 squares

Ingredients

• BASE

• 1 1⁄2 cups flour
• 1⁄2 cup icing sugar
• 2⁄3 cup unsalted butter, cut in chunks (make sure it's cold)

• TOPPING

• 1⁄2 cup raisins (I use the light ones)
• 1⁄2 cup dried cranberries
• 1⁄4 cup Bourbon (or rum)
• 1  cup  glace pineapple, coarsely chopped
• 1  cup  glace cherries
• 2  eggs
• 3⁄4 cup corn syrup
• 1⁄3 cup brown sugar
• 2  teaspoons vanilla
• 2  tablespoons flour
• 2  cups pecans, coarsely chopped

Directions

1. Preheat oven to 350*. Lightly butter a 9" x 13" pan.
2. BASE - Using a food processor, whirl flour & icing sugar together until blended. Add the butter & pulse until mixture starts forming a ball.
3. Turn into baking pan and press evenly over the bottom. Bake in the centre of the oven @ 350*, for 20-25 minutes, until the edges are golden. Remove from oven, but leave oven on.
4. TOPPING: Prepare the topping while the base is baking.
5. Place the raisins and cranberries and bourbon in a small microwave-safe bowl. Microwave, uncovered, on "high" for 1 minute.
6. Cut cherries in half.
7. In a large bowl, whisk the eggs with the corn syrup, brown sugar & vanilla.
8. Stir in the 2 tablespoons flour, then the raisin-cranberry-bourbon mixture, pineapple, cherries and pecans. Spread over the base.
9. Return to oven & bake @ 350*, until the center is set and the edges are golden. This should take 25-30 minutes.
10. Cool completely & cut into squares.