Cherry (Almond?) Squares

Tonight's dessert was Cherry Almond Squares (or triangles, or rectangles) from (surprise, surprise) Company's Coming "150 Delicious Squares". I titled this as Cherry (Almond?) Squares because I left out the almonds, even though they are a part of the title. And I certainly did not miss them. These squares are a brown sugar shortbread base with cherries, and a cherry butter icing. They are delicious, and a big hit in my house because we have some shortbread lovers, some cherry lovers, some brown sugar lovers, and some shortbread cherry brown sugar lovers. They are also fairly quick and simple to make.

Cherry Almond Squares
1 cup butter
1 cup brown sugar, packed
1/2 cup glazed cherries, finely cut (I used maraschino from a jar)
1/2 cup blanced almonds, finely cut
1 1/2 cups icing sugar
3 tbsp. butter or margarine
1/2 tsp. cherry flavouring + 5 tsp. water (I used 5 tsp. juice from the jar of cherries)

Combine butter, sugar and flour in a bowl. Mix together like you were making pie crust. Add cherries and nuts squeezing in as best you can to distribute as evenly as possible. Press into ungreased 9x9 inch pan (I used a parchment-lined 8x8 inch glass pan, and found the squares still weren't very high). Bake at 325◦F for 20 to 30 minutes until set and a golden brown.

For icing, beat together remaining ingredients and smooth over cooled squares.

Paré, Jean. "Cherry Almond Squares." Recipe. 150 Delicious Squares, Edmonton Alberta: Company's Coming Publishing Limited, 1981. 79.