These cherry walnut squares are a vegan take on a classic coffee morning traybake, which consists of a shortcrust pastry base topped with glacé cherries, walnuts and raisins in a layer of soft, fruity toffee.
The original recipe was a handwritten one which came from Canada (where it was called dream cake). It might have found its way there from Scotland as it bears a strong resemblance to border tart (also called Eyemouth tart). Anyway, it’s now found its way back and been veganised ~ such is the life story of a 21st century traybake.
The crumbly shortcrust base is low in sugar to compensate for the sweetness of the brown sugar and cherry topping. This version also includes pureed apple and some ground almonds to achieve the soft toffee-ish texture, which otherwise relies on beaten eggs.
It’s a sweet traybake, despite the fact that I’ve reduced the sugar in the original by more than a quarter, but it does have the benefit of lots of walnuts and an apple!
Cherry Walnut Squares…
Ingredients
for the base
- 105 g soft vegan margarine
- 165 g plain white/unbleached flour
- 20 g brown sugar
for the topping
- 100 g apple (cored weight, one small-medium apple)
- 25 g soft vegan margarine
- 1 tsp vanilla extract
- 160 g brown sugar
- 35 g plain white/unbleached flour
- 35 g ground almonds
- 100 g walnuts, roughly chopped
- 100 g glacé cherries, halved
- 100 g raisins
method
- Slice the apple (no need to peel it) and place it in a small lidded pan with 60 ml water. Boil gently for a few minutes until the apple has softened then set it aside to cool.
- Set the oven to 180°C/360°F and lightly oil/line the base of an 8″ square or similar sized baking tin.
- Place the ingredients for the base in a medium-sized bowl and blend with a pastry blender or rub with your fingers until it forms a crumbly dough.
- Transfer the dough to the tin and press with a fork (or your hands) to cover the base. It doesn’t have to be perfect but make it as even as you can.
- Bake for around twelve minutes until it is turning lightly golden. Remove from the oven and set aside.
- Place the cooked apple, 25 g soft margarine and vanilla extract in a small blender or processor and blend to form a smooth puree.
- Sift the flour into a large bowl and add the almonds, sugar, walnuts, cherries and raisins. Stir until everything is evenly combined.
- Pour or spoon the apple mixture into the dry ingredients and stir to create a thick, sticky cake mixture.
- Transfer the mixture to the pastry base and use a fork to spread it into as even a layer as you can, trying not to mash the cherries.
- Bake for 20 to 25 minutes, until the top is browning and a toffee-ish crust had formed.
- Allow to cool completely before cutting into squares or bars.
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