My intention was to create something deliciously wicked for my step mother who loves nuts and seville orange marmalade and as I only had a 45 minute break between things on the to do list, it had to be a quick something. I think these would be great for lunches, they will pack well and should be stored in an airtight container to keep them soft.
Nuts are said to be connected to fertility & prosperity, love & luck. Which makes complete sense as they are the fecundate energy of a plant and hold the vibration of outward growth and future harvest.
I used a combination of mostly pecans and some almonds in this recipe but you can absolutely mix it up. Each type of nut holds different health benefits and if you would like some additional information about pecans, try this link http://www.shiftfrequency.com/mike-barrett-health-benefits-of-pecans-over-7-reasons-to-enjoy-pecans/
You will need:
1 cup flour
2 Tbsp. icing sugar
1/2 cup butter
1 egg
1/2 cup brown sugar
2/3 cup orange marmalade
1 tsp. baking powder
1/4 tsp. salt
1 1/2 cups chopped nuts
1 tsp. rum flavouring
icing sugar for dusting
Preheat oven to 350 degrees.
Begin by taking a moment to bring your focus into the kitchen. Ask for the support and inspiration of the compassionate spirits around you, breath slowly and deeply, releasing anything that keeps you from being….here…now.
“In my kitchen filled with care, I welcome Earth, Fire, Water, Air“.
Blend together the first three ingredients, flour, icing sugar and butter.
Butter left at room temperature will make the process go more quickly. You are working the fat into small pieces, each covered with flour so that when the fat melts in the oven, little holes are created that make the first layer flaky. Work the mixture too much and it will be hard and tough.
Once you have a crumbly mixture, transfer it to a 9 x 9 inch pan and bake at 350 degrees for 5 minutes.
While the bottom layer is on the oven. Mix everything but the last icing sugar together. It will be sticky and thick. I chopped the nuts fairly small as my step mother wears dentures. A middle size would give a crunchier texture if that is your preference.
It may look like I put in two eggs. This batch of eggs came from the farmer and they all turned out to be double yolked.
Now in the end, there is just a hint of orange marmalade so I might consider adding a little fresh orange zest next time. If you happen to have any around, you might want to do that now.
This mixture will be thick and gooey and when you take the bottom layer out of the oven and put this layer on top, work gently as the bottom layer will be fragile. Try placing the nut mixture by spoonfuls and then spreading carefully.
Bake for an additional 30 minutes or until the top and edges are golden brown. Remove from the oven and allow to fully cool. This will help the subtle flavours to ripen.
I dusted the top with a little icing sugar, not a must but I got caught again on a phone call, ( Anybody else having trouble multi tasking these days. )
This is not a sweet recipe so you might also try an orange glaze or orange butter icing.
One of the wonderful things about play time in the kitchen is that there are unending possible flavour combinations. I am often reminded of my bartending training….several….decades ago. Exchange an olive with a pickled onion and a Martini becomes a Gibson. It doesn’t take much to create something “new”. What changes might you make to these Orange Marmalade Nut Bars?
So pop on the kettle, invite someone special for treats and share the gratitude for all our bright blessings.
Orange Marmalade Nut Squares from My Kitchen Wand
