How to Bake Heavenly Angel Slices or Pecan Squares

	Joy of Cooking 1931 Facsimile Edition: A Facsimile of the First Edition 1931 Amazon Price: $8.97 List Price: $29.99
	Joy of Cooking: 75th Anniversary Edition - 2006 Amazon Price: $18.24 List Price: $35.00

Angel or Pecan Slices

It states in a later edition of The Joy of Cooking that "Many a copy of the 'Joy' has been sold on the strength of this recipe". These bars are absolutely delicious!

If you don't own a copy of this cookbook, I highly recommend it. Not only does it contain a recipe for just about any dish you can imagine, it tells you how to prepare it properly. From cookies and cakes to venison and bear, it covers it all. It's an excellent shower gift or housewarming present for young people starting out on their own.

Now here is the recipe made just as four generations of our family have done.

Preheat oven to 350˚ F.

These are made in two layers so the first part is a dough made especially for bars.

For the dough:

• 1/2 cup butter
• 1/4 cup sugar
• 1 egg
• 1/2 teaspoon vanilla
• 1-1/4 cups sifted all-purpose flour
• 1/8 teaspoon salt

Cream the butter and sugar until light and fluffy. Add the egg and beat in well. Add the vanilla. Combine the flour and salt and work into the creamed mixture about a third at a time. Pat the dough evenly in a 9 x 12 inch pan and bake for about 15 minutes or until dough leaves the sides of the pan but before it is dry. Remember, dough browns faster in metal pans than in glass so watch it carefully.

Meanwhile, in a bowl combine:

• 2 beaten eggs
• 1-1/2 cups brown sugar
• 1/2 cup flaked coconut
• 1 cup chopped pecans
• 2 tablespoons flour
• 1/2 teaspoon baking powder
• 1/2 teaspoon salt
• 1 teaspoon vanilla

If you don't care for coconut, just replace it with an equal amount of chopped pecans. Spread this mixture evenly over the baked dough. Bake for about 25 minutes. Watch them closely and do not overbake. You want them nice and moist. If you are not icing them, cut into squares while still warm.

Optional: You can ice them if you like once they are cool but in my opinion, they don't need it. In fact, I think it interferes with the flavour and actually detracts from them. The Joy suggests 1-1/2 cups icing or confectioners' sugar thinned to a good spreading consistency with lemon juice.

	Willow Tree 26144 Angel of Kitchen Amazon Price: $10.75 List Price: $12.00
	Willow Tree Angel of Healing Figurine, Susan Lordi 26020 Amazon Price: $9.99 List Price: $12.00

How did these lovely little bars get the name Angel Slices? According to theJoy, "one fan says her family is sure these are the cakes St. Peter gives little children at the Gates of Heaven to get them over the first pangs of homesickness". We couldn't agree more. These never last long at our house.

Although they are wonderful any time, they are traditional for us at Christmas. Gather the children or grandchildren and have them help pat the dough. There is nothing quite like a child's touch to add the love that makes everything feel a little more special.

Willow Tree makes beautiful little collectible angels for hanging on the tree at Christmas or for gracing the kitchen shelf at any time of year. They are perfect for gift giving along with a little box of Angel Slices and a copy of the Joy.

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