CHESS PIE SQUARES

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Chess Pie Squares image

These heavenly little bars, adapted from the Southern cookbook author Julia Reed, are a modern-day, perfect-for-a-picnic version of a traditional custard pie made from flour, cornmeal, sugar, eggs, butter and buttermilk. They are like lemon bars without the lip-puckering citrus: a blanket of egg-rich custard generously laced with vanilla atop a lightly salted, crumbly shortbread crust. (If you don't have buttermilk, you can make an easy substitute by combining one tablespoon of white vinegar or lemon juice with a cup of milk. Let stand for 5 minutes, then measure out 3/4 cup.)

Provided by Margaux Laskey

Categories     cookies and bars, dessert

Time 1h15m

Yield 24 squares

Number Of Ingredients 11

2 cups/240 grams all-purpose flour
1/2 cup/57 grams confectioners' sugar
3/4 teaspoon kosher salt
6 ounces/170 grams unsalted butter (1 1/2 sticks), softened
6 ounces/170 grams unsalted butter (1 1/2 sticks), at room temperature
1 1/2 cups/297 grams granulated sugar
6 large egg yolks
2 teaspoons pure vanilla extract
3/4 cup/168 milliliters buttermilk, at room temperature
2 tablespoons fine white or yellow cornmeal
2 tablespoons all-purpose flour

Steps:

  • Heat oven to 350 degrees.
  • Make the shortbread crust: In a large bowl, whisk together flour, sugar and salt. Cut in butter with a pastry blender or two forks until well blended and the dough holds together when you press a lump in your hand.
  • Press dough evenly into the bottom of 9-by-13-inch baking dish. Bake until edges begin to brown, 15 to 18 minutes. Remove shortbread from oven and let cool slightly. Reduce oven temperature to 325 degrees.
  • Make the filling: In the bowl of a stand mixer fitted with the paddle attachment, cream butter and sugar until light and fluffy, about 5 minutes. Beat in egg yolks, one at a time, until well blended. Switch to the whisk attachment and slowly beat in vanilla and buttermilk until well blended. Beat in cornmeal and flour until just combined.
  • Pour filling over crust. Bake for 25 to 30 minutes, or until the top is golden and set. Cool in the baking dish on a wire rack and cut the dessert into 24 squares (each about 2 inches) to serve.

Nutrition Facts : @context http, Calories 218, UnsaturatedFat 4 grams, Carbohydrate 24 grams, Fat 13 grams, Fiber 0 grams, Protein 2 grams, SaturatedFat 8 grams, Sodium 77 milligrams, Sugar 15 grams, TransFat 0 grams

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