Rhubarb and Raisin Meringue Squares

 

 

On a recent trip to Saskatchewan, a friend treated us to a mid-afternoon coffee break. She and her husband have a wonderful farm where they grow Saskatoon berries commercially.

Of Mennonite heritage, she loves to bake using old family recipes and incorporates the fruit growing on their farm into the baking. On a tour of her garden, I was amazed to see the number of thick, rosy colored stalks in her rhubarb patch. She mentioned that she was going to harvest a bunch to cut into 1 inch pieces and put into bags in the freezer for winter. It seems that she has a bumper crop this year.

In honor of our springtime visit, she served Rhubarb and Raisin Meringue Squares that simply melted in our mouths. These are squares that “schmeck nach mehr” – a German expression meaning that they taste like we should have another a piece.  She very kindly shared her recipe with us.

The recipe makes an 8 or 9 inch square cake pan, but I like to double the recipe and put it into a greased 9 x 13 inch baking dish .  I took  a large plate of 24 squares to a pot lunch supper on Sunday. The baking time does not need to be  increased.

Rhubarb and Raisin Meringue Squares

Base: 

½ cup butter or margarine, softened

1 cup flour

1 tablespoon sugar

Filling: 

2 cups chopped rhubarb

¾ cup sugar

½ cup raisins

2 tablespoons  flour

1 teaspoon grated orange rind

3 egg yolks

½ cup milk

Meringue:

 3 egg whites

¼ cup icing sugar

1 teaspoon vanilla

¼ cup coconut

Preheat oven: 350°F

1. Blend base ingredients together and press into an 8 or 9 inch square pan.
2. Bake at 350°F oven for 10 minutes.

 

3. Evenly spread rhubarb and raisins over the hot crust.

4. Whisk remaining filling ingredients together.

5. Pour over fruit on hot base.

6. Bake at 350°F for 45 minutes until filling is set and rhubarb is tender.

Meringue:

1. Beat egg whites until fluffy.

2. Gradually add sifted icing sugar and beat until stiff and glossy.

3. Spread over filling and sprinkle with coconut. Return to oven.

4. Bake for 10 minutes or until topping is lightly browned.

5. Cool on a cooling rack. Cut into squares using a sharp knife that you run under hot water between each cut. This prevents the meringue from tearing.

Tags: coconut topping, meringue squares, raisin and rhubarb squares, rhubarb squares

Category: Cookies & Squares, Desserts