Sweet Mincemeat and Pecan Squares

Like a shortbread cookie and a sweet mincemeat tart all in one!

1 cup cold butter
1  1/2 cups flour
1/2 cup semolina
1/2 cup + 2 tbsps caster sugar (superfine, not granulated or icing. See Note)
1/2 tsp vanilla
pinch salt
1/2 cup chopped pecans
cinnamon sugar for dusting
2 cups sweet mincemeat (bought or for homemade see link below)
1 apple, peeled and shredded
1 tbsp rum or brandy
zest of 1 orange

Mix flour, semolina and 1/2 cup caster sugar in a food processor.

NOTE: If you don't have caster or superfine sugar, just whirl granulated sugar in processor until fine then use as caster.

Add butter, vanilla and salt.

Process until the mixture is pea-like. Reserve 2  1/2 cups and set aside. Firmly press the remaining shortbread mix into a greased 7 X 11" baking pan.
(I had divided the mixture in half, 3 cups each, not remembering that the pecans would be added to top layer. That is why my shortbread layers are not even)

It looks like all this shortbread and mincemeat won't fit the pan, but it does!

Mix mincemeat, rum, apple and zest of orange together and pour on top. 

Mix pecans and 2 tbsps caster sugar into the remaining shortbread mix and sprinkle over top, pressing gently.

It's a really full pan!

Bake at 340F for 50-60 minutes, then leave in pan on cooling rack to cool completely. Before cutting sprinkle with cinnamon sugar.

If you'd like to make your own sweet mincemeat check this out:
http://hotandcoldrunningmom.blogspot.ca/2014/11/green-tomato-sweet-mincemeat.html

Original square recipe:
https://www.sainsburysmagazine.co.uk/recipes/traybakes/mincemeat-pecan-and-cinnamon-crumble-bars?