Mazurki: a Polish dessert

Ingredients:

Cookie

• 2 cups premium flour
• 0.5 tsp baking powder
• 1/4 teaspoon fine salt
• 1 cup unsalted butter, softened and cooled
• 1 cup of sugar
• 1 large egg
• 1.5 tsp vanilla extract

Fruit topping

• 4 tsp cornstarch
• 4 teaspoons of sugar
• 1 cup orange juice
• 0.5 cups dried apricots, diced
• 0.5 cup dates, cut into 4 pieces
• 0.5 cups dried cherries, cut in half
• 0.5 cup dark or golden raisins
• 3 tablespoons candied orange peel, diced
• 0.5 cup raw shelled pistachios
• Finely grated zest of half a lemon

Preparation:

1. Preheat oven to 375°F (190°C). Grease a 9×13-inch baking pan with butter or spray with cooking spray. Line the bottom of the pan with parchment paper.
2. Cookie:
   
   Combine flour, baking powder, and salt in a bowl. In a large bowl, beat the butter and sugar with a mixer on medium speed until creamy, about 2 minutes. Scrape down the sides of the bowl and add the egg and vanilla extract. Beat well, scraping down the sides of the bowl. Mixing on low speed, add the flour mixture in three additions. Knead until smooth.
3. Transfer the batter to the prepared pan and spread it evenly with a spatula. Bake until golden brown with dark spots and darker edges, about 30 minutes. Let cool completely, about 45 minutes.
4. Meanwhile, prepare the fruit.:
   
   Combine the cornstarch and sugar in a small saucepan. Stir in the orange juice until dissolved. Add the dried fruit and candied peel. Bring to a boil over medium heat, stirring frequently. Continue cooking, stirring, until the compote thickens, about 3 minutes more. A spoon should come out clean when you run it across the bottom of the pan. Remove from heat and transfer to a bowl. Stir in the nuts and lemon zest.
5. Spread the fruit topping evenly over the cooled cake.
6. Preheat oven to 350°F (175°C). Bake the mazurka until golden brown around the edges and the filling is set but still shiny, about 10 minutes. Let cool in the pan on a wire rack.
7. Grease a knife with butter and cut the mazurka into 24 squares. Serve.
   
   

   Storage advice

   
   Carefully wrapped in plastic wrap, the cookie base can be stored at room temperature for 3 days or frozen for up to 1 month. The fruit compote can be made up to 1 week in advance and stored in the refrigerator. Store the finished cookies in a tightly sealed container, sandwiching them with parchment paper, for up to 5 days.