Lacquer Nut Squares

This is my favorite bar cookie. I like to make it during the Easter holidays.

1/2 cup butter
1 cup sugar
2 eggs
2 cups ground walnuts
1 tsp. vanilla
1 tsp. baking powder
3 cups all-purpose flour

1 (10 oz.) jar of prune cake pastry filling
or 1 cup prune puree*
confectionery sugar

In a mixing bowl, cream together butter and sugar.
Add eggs, beating well after each addition.
Add walnuts, vanilla, baking powder and flour. The dough will be very stiff.

Spread one-half of the dough on the bottom of a greased 9-inch x13-inch cake pan.
Using your hands, pack the dough to form a crust in the bottom of the pan.

Spread the prune filling over crust.
Crumble the rest of the dough and spread on top of the prune filling.

Bake in preheated oven of 350 degrees for 40 minutes or until lightly brown.
Remove and cool on wire rack in pan.
When cool sprinkle with confectionery sugar and cut into bars.

Yield: about 32 bars.

NOTE: You can find the prune filling in grocery stores. Baker makes one. I have also used their apricot filling for this recipe. 2-1/2 cups whole walnuts = 2 cups ground walnuts.

*Prune puree - Recently I found Mariani Pitted Prunes easy way to make the prune filling. Combine approximately 24 prunes with 6 Tablespoons hot water in a food processor. Pulse on and off until prunes are finely chopped and mixture is smooth. I pureed Apricots the same way.
Makes about 1 cup.

JACQUELINE'S COOKBOOK