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Slice of pretty rose-colored rainbow square on white plate

Vintage Rainbow Square Recipe

Rainbow Square is a delectable and showy dessert made with a shortbread base covered with a filling of crushed pineapple and cherries topped with meringue.
Course Dessert
Cuisine Canadian
Keyword Rainbow Square, squares
Servings 16
My Island Bistro Kitchen Barbara99

Ingredients

Shortbread Base:

  • 1 cup all-purpose flour (or equal amount of gluten-free One-to-One Baking Flour, if required)
  • ½ cup salted butter, chopped into 1” pieces
  • ¼ cup granulated sugar

Filling:

  • 1 cup crushed pineapple, undrained
  • 2/3 cup maraschino cherries, cut up and well drained (blotted on paper towel)
  • ½ cup granulated sugar
  • 3 tbsp + 1 tsp cornstarch mixed with 2½ tbsp maraschino cherry juice (or water)
  • ½ tsp almond flavoring
  • ¼ tsp pure vanilla

Meringue:

  • 2 large egg whites
  • ¼ cup granulated sugar
  • 1/8 tsp cream of tartar

Instructions

Shortbread Base:

  1. Position oven rack in center of oven and preheat oven to 350°F. Grease or spray 8”x8” baking pan with non-stick cooking oil. Alternatively, line pan bottom and sides with parchment paper. Set aside.

  2. Combine flour and sugar in bowl of food processor fitted with blade. Pulse 2-3 times to blend ingredients. Add the butter and pulse a few times, just until mixture becomes crumbly. Press mixture lightly and evenly into prepared pan. Prick crust all over with tines of fork. Bake 15-20 minutes or just until crust is set, golden, and starting to show signs of lightly tanning on the edges. Do not overbake. Cool completely on wire rack before proceeding with filling preparation.

Filling:

  1. In medium-sized heavy-bottomed saucepan, combine pineapple, cherries, and sugar. Stir well to combine. In small bowl, mix the cornstarch with the cherry juice (or water). Whisk until smooth and stir into pineapple mixture. Heat over medium heat, stirring frequently to prevent scorching. Cook until mixture is thickened. Remove from heat and set aside while making the meringue.

Meringue:

  1. With whisk attachment fitted on stand mixer, whip the egg whites until glossy. Add the cream of tartar then slowly add the sugar. Whip until firm, but not stiff, peaks form.

Assembly:

  1. Preheat oven to 350°F.
  2. Spread cooked filling over baked and cooled shortbread base. Top with meringue, ensuring meringue completely covers the filling, right to the pan edges. Bake for approximately 10-12 minutes, or just until meringue is a light golden brown.
  3. Let square cool completely on wire cooling rack before cutting and serving. Refrigerate any leftovers.

Recipe Notes

Yield: Apx. 16 – 2” squares (or cut to desired size)