Font Size:
  • A
  • A
  • A

E-mail This Page to Your Friends

x

All fields are required.

Separate multiple e-mail addresses with a comma

(i.e. sally@food.com, frank@food.com)

Sending E-mail

Sending E-mail

Or Do Not E-mail

Success!

A link to this page was e-mailed

Czech Squares

Food Network Kitchens

From Food Network Kitchens

Rated: 4 stars out of 5Rate itRead users' reviews (9)

Picture of Czech Squares Recipe

Photo: Czech Squares

  • Cook Time:

    45 min

  • Level:

    Intermediate

  • Yield:

    24 squares

Close

Times:

Prep
40 min
Inactive Prep
30 min
Cook
45 min
Total:
1 hr 55 min
x

Select a Card Size

x

Add To My Recipe Box

Please limit to 20 characters

Adding Recipe

Adding Recipe

Or Do Not Add

Success

This recipe was added to your Folder_Name folder.

x

Add To My Recipe Box

Please sign in to add this recipe to your Recipe Box.

Ingredients

  • 1 cup walnut pieces
  • 3/4 cup granulated sugar
  • 2 1/2 cups all-purpose flour
  • 1/2 teaspoon ground cinnamon
  • 1/4 teaspoon ground nutmeg
  • 1/8 teaspoon ground clove
  • Pinch fine salt
  • 1 1/2 sticks butter, diced and slightly chilled
  • 5 large egg yolks
  • 2 tablespoons brandy
  • Filling
  • 1 cup cherry jam
  • 1/2 lemon, zest finely grated
  • 1 tablespoon lemon juice
  • 1 egg white, for brushing

Directions

Position a rack in the lower third of the oven and preheat to 350 degrees F.

Spread the nuts out on a baking sheet and bake until lightly toasted, about 8 minutes. Cool completely.

Butter a 9 by 12 1/2-inch baking sheet pan, then cover bottom with parchment paper.

Pulse the walnuts with the sugar, in a food processor until fine and powdery, about 2 minutes. Add the flour, spices, and salt, pulsing until evenly combined. Add the butter, yolks, and brandy and pulse until the mixture starts to come together. Stop mixing and pull the dough together by hand, press and roll into a thick log about 8 inches long.

Cut the log crosswise into 12 equal pieces. (If the dough is very sticky, refrigerate it until easier to work with, about 30 minutes.) Lay 8 pieces of the dough on the bottom of the pan. Press and spread the pieces together with your fingertips to cover the pan evenly.

Stir the cherry jam, lemon zest and juice together in a bowl. Spread the mixture evenly over the surface of the dough with the back of a spoon.

Roll the remaining dough out on a well-floured surface about 1/8-inch thick. Use a small decorative cutter, such as a leaf, tree, or star, to cut the dough into 24 pieces. Evenly place the pieces on top of the filling in 6 rows of 4. Alternatively cut the dough into long strips with a pizza wheel or knife, and place them on the filling in a lattice pattern; or cut the dough into ovals and lay them on the filling in a decorative pattern. Brush decorative layer of dough with egg white.

Bake the squares until golden brown, about 40 to 45 minutes.

Cool completely in the pan on a rack. Cut with a serrated knife into 2-inch squares.

Copyright (c) 2004 Television Food Network, G.P., All Rights Reserved.

Next Recipe

More recipes? Try these recommendations:

Similar Recipe

Fig and Walnut Cookies

Similar Recipes

Recipe Collections

Showing 1-9 of 9

View all 9 Cookie Collections

Read more Comments & Reviews (9)

Comments & Reviews

  • recipe Czech Squares
    Linda Hanover Park, IL 01-03-2010

    Flag

    Pretty but not a favorite

    Rated: 3 stars out of 5
    Dough was very soft, almost impossible to cut into strips for the lattice. Fairly crumbly after cut into squares. Okay but... not great, won't make again.Read more
  • recipe Czech Squares
    MMD San Jose, CA 12-28-2009

    Flag

    great & authentic!

    Rated: 5 stars out of 5
    My grandparents were Czechoslovakian-Prague area- and my dad said these are just like what grandma used to make. He said she... would use cherry or apricot preserves. These were very tasty!Read more
  • recipe Czech Squares
    Linda Poughkeepsie, NY 12-19-2009

    Flag

    A great holiday cookie :)

    Rated: 5 stars out of 5
    I was looking for a more holiday version of a jelly cookie and stumbled across these. The way the recipe was written was a... little confusing for me but once I figured out how to assemble them everything was a breeze! I didn't have any brandy on hand so used vanilla extract-a little sweet but still delicious. I also used raspberry preserves instead of cherry and I loved the flavor combination! Definitely a keeper, can't wait to try them again with brandy :)Read more
  • recipe Czech Squares
    Anonymous 12-14-2005

    Flag

    no title seems fitting.

    Rated: 1 stars out of 5
    dough was very dry but did press into the pan well. 1 cup of the cherry jam did not seem to cover well
  • recipe Czech Squares
    Anonymous 12-31-2004

    Flag

    Acgh!

    Rated: 2 stars out of 5
    I made these and much to my dismay they were terrible! I'm not sure what went wrong but I doubt if I will ever make them... again. I was really disappointed.Read more
  • recipe Czech Squares
    FRANCES Warsaw, NY 12-31-2004

    Flag

    Like Linzer Torte

    Rated: 5 stars out of 5
    These cookies are delicious,even better after a few days. They taste very much like a Linzer Torte. I did not find it... difficult to make them. My family loves them. I will certainly make them again.Read more
Flag This Review?Close

Please sign in to flag this review.

Not a member? Register now.

Advertisement
Advertisement