These easy-to-make one-bowl Peanut Butter and Chocolate Chip Blondies are moist, slightly chewy, and studded with chocolate chips. Topped with a sprinkling of turbinado sugar, they require no frosting. Continue reading Peanut Butter and Chocolate Chip Blondies
Modelled after, and made with the same method as, a traditional Date Square, this wholesome Orange-Scented Blueberry Oat Square features a delectable blueberry filling sandwiched between a sweet and buttery orange-scented oatmeal crumb base and topping. Continue reading Orange-scented Blueberry Oat Square
Two of the season’s best treats – strawberries and rhubarb – combine to make a luscious topping for Scrumptious Strawberry Rhubarb Bars with a rich buttery shortbread base. Continue reading Scrumptious Strawberry Rhubarb Bars
Who would ever think that the lowly black beans, known for their fibre and protein content, could be transformed into moist, fudgy, decadent, and super tasty brownies! But, it’s true and these Black Bean Mocha Brownies (now my new favorite) do not have the slightest taste of beans! Serve the brownies to folks and don’t tell them there are black beans in them and I seriously doubt they’d ever guess as much. With maple syrup, cocoa powder, coffee, and vanilla as flavor enhancers along with almond flour, you’d be hard pressed to find a hint of bean flavor in these brownies. Continue reading Black Bean Mocha Brownies
This is an oldie but always a goodie! This irresistible Hello Dolly Square is believed to have started circulating c. 1960s and may have been named in honor of the Hello Dolly musical of the same era. Continue reading Hello Dolly Square Recipe
Always a favorite, this three-part square (shortbread base, topping, and icing), known simply as “Dream Square”, is a treat! Sometimes referred to as a vintage or retro square, I’m not sure it has ever been “shelved” long enough in history to put it in that category! This is a square that is, in my view, perennially in vogue. Continue reading Decadent Dream Square Recipe
This lovely Cranberry Shortbread Square with a tender, buttery shortbread crust features cranberry sauce as an ingredient in the topping. The sauce adds lovely flavor and texture making the square rich and delectable. Continue reading Cranberry Shortbread Square Recipe
I call this type of square the “three-piece suit” of squares. That’s because there are three components to the square: 1) a tender, buttery shortbread crust; 2) a topping or filling; and 3) a buttery icing. This delectable Pecan Shortbread Square is always one that calls for a second piece! Continue reading Pecan Shortbread Square Recipe
Today, I have dug deep into my vintage recipe file for this super tasty Rainbow Square. This is more of a dessert square than one that would be found on a tray of squares where each individual square could be picked up and eaten from the hand. This one is best served on a plate and eaten with a fork. It would fall into the “ooey-gooey” square category, in my opinion! Continue reading Vintage Rainbow Square Recipe
These Coconut Date and Cherry Squares are one of the easiest squares to make as there is only the one layer. Simply place the coconut, dates, cherries, and pecans in a large bowl. Stir in sweetened condensed milk and transfer mixture to a baking pan. How easy is that!
The trick is not to overbake the square as it will dry out. Just bake it until it barely starts to turn golden on the edges and it will stay lovely and moist. It’s a supremely lovely treat with a cup of tea (or coffee)!
A simple way to deal with icing and cutting squares is to leave a bit of parchment overhang when lining the baking pan with parchment paper. This “overhang” can then be used to easily lift the square, once completely cooled, from the pan. This makes it very easy to ice and cut the square and the knife does not damage the finish on the baking pan when squares are cut.
One thing I like to do with my squares is cut off the outside edges by about 1/4″ all around the square. This gives every cut square a nice tidy, even edge.
While this square is fabulous any time of the year, the wonderful delicious flavors of coconut, dates, cherries, and pecans also make this square a great addition to holiday sweet trays. Of course, the delectable icing with a drizzle of chocolate on top is the crowning glory. While the chocolate drizzle is optional, it does add interest to the white icing. No need to fuss with how the drizzle goes on – just use either a fork or a spoon and quickly drizzle the chocolate any which way!
[Printable recipe follows at end of post]
Ingredients:
2½ cups medium shredded non-sweetened coconut
2 cups dates, chopped
½ cup maraschino cherries, very well drained, cut into pieces
½ cup pecans, chopped
2/3 cup sweetened condensed milk (no substitutes)
1 tsp vanilla
1/8 tsp salt
Icing:
½ cup + 1 tbsp butter, softened at room temperature
2½ cups sifted icing sugar (aka powdered or confectioner’s sugar)
2 – 2¼ tbsp milk or water
½ tsp almond flavoring (or vanilla)
1 – oz square semi-sweet chocolate (optional)
Method:
Preheat oven to 350°F.
Line 9”x9” baking pan with parchment paper, leaving just enough overhang that there are “handles” to easily grip and lift the square from the pan when cooled.
In large bowl, combine the coconut, dates, maraschino cherries, and pecans. Mix the vanilla and salt into the sweetened condensed milk and pour over the coconut, dates, cherries, and pecans. Stir well to combine ingredients. Transfer mixture to prepared pan and spread evenly. Bake for about 22- 25 minutes, or just until edges of square start to turn light golden brown. Do not overbake. Remove square from oven and transfer to wire rack to cool in pan completely before icing. When completely cooled, lift square from pan.
To prepare icing, place butter in bowl of stand mixer and beat at medium speed until creamy. Reduce mixer speed to low and gradually add the icing sugar. Add the milk (or water), a couple of teaspoons at a time, along with the almond flavoring. Increase speed to medium-low to blend ingredients. Increase speed to high and beat an additional minute to ensure ingredients are well combined and icing is smooth. Additional milk or water may be required to make icing of desired spreading consistency. If adding additional milk or water, add by ½ teaspoon at a time. Icing should be of spreading consistency but not “soupy”.
Spread icing evenly over cooled square. Melt the chocolate square in small dish in microwave. Using a fork or spoon, drizzle chocolate in desired design over icing. Cut squares into desired size. Squares freeze well.
Yield: One 9”x9” pan of squares
Joining the Facebook page for My Island Bistro Kitchen: https://www.facebook.com/MyIslandBistroKitchen/
Following “the Bistro” on Twitter: https://twitter.com/PEIBistro/
Seeing the drool-worthy gallery of mouth-watering food photos from My Island Bistro Kitchen on Instagram: https://www.instagram.com/peibistro/
Following “the Bistro” on Pinterest at https://www.pinterest.ca/peibistro/
(and you can pin the Pinterest-ready photo(s) below to your favorite Pinterest boards)
Of course, by subscribing to receive an email notification of new posts and recipes, you can be among the first to know when I publish a new post or recipe. Simply enter your name and email address in the Subscription block over on the right-hand side of my home page.
Line 9”x9” baking pan with parchment paper, leaving just enough overhang that there are “handles” to easily grip and lift the square from the pan when cooled.
In large bowl, combine the coconut, dates, maraschino cherries, and pecans. Mix the vanilla and salt into the sweetened condensed milk and pour over the coconut, dates, cherries, and pecans. Stir well to combine ingredients. Transfer mixture to prepared pan and spread evenly. Bake for about 22- 25 minutes, or just until edges of square start to turn light golden brown. Do not overbake. Remove square from oven and transfer to wire rack to cool in pan completely before icing. When completely cooled, lift square from the pan.
Yield: One 9”x9” pan of squares
Everybody loves an easy square or bar to make that does not require careful watching as it bakes in the oven and that does not have to be frosted. Sweet Marie Bars fit nicely in that category. Taking only a few very basic ingredients, the result is one delectable treat that often finds its way on to sweet trays, particularly at Christmas.
Sweet Marie Bars have made their way into my picnic basket on more than one occasion since they are more like candy, in my opinion, than what we traditionally think of as squares or cookie bars.
This bar recipe has been around for a long time and is known by names other than Sweet Marie Bars. The core ingredients do not tend to change though the quantities may and, sometimes, the bars are iced with traditional frosting. I have seen them called Peanut Krispie Bars and a variation called Scotheroos that call for some butterscotch chips. There are probably other names for these bars and their variation(s). Regardless what they are called, they are one delectable treat any time of the year!
[Printable recipe follows]
Ingredients:
2 cups crispy rice cereal (e.g., Rice Krispies)
¾ cup salted peanuts
½ cup peanut butter
½ cup golden corn syrup
½ cup brown sugar, packed
1 tbsp butter
8 oz semi-sweet chocolate pieces or squares
¼ cup peanut butter
2 tsp butter
Method:
Line a 9”x9” square baking pan with tin foil and spray lightly with cooking spray (or grease with butter).
Stir the crispy rice cereal and salted peanuts together in a large heat-proof bowl (e.g., glass or stainless steel). Set aside.
In medium-sized, heavy-bottomed saucepan placed over low heat, combine the peanut butter, corn syrup, brown sugar, and butter. Stir until mixture is blended and heated. Do not boil.
Remove saucepan from heat and pour mixture over the cereal and peanut mixture. Stir to mix. Press mixture into prepared baking pan.
For topping, melt the chocolate in a microwave-safe bowl, a few seconds at a time. When chocolate is about half melted, stir in the peanut butter and butter. Continue to microwave in short bursts of seconds until chocolate is melted. Pour the topping over the square in pan and smooth with a knife or small flat metal spatula. Let cool completely to room temperature before lifting square from pan and cutting it into squares or bars of desired size. Square may cut out better if cooled square has been placed in the refrigerator for 15-20 minutes.
Yield: One (1) 9” pan of squares/bars
Yield: One (1) 9” pan of squares/bars
You can join the Facebook page for My Island Bistro Kitchen: https://www.facebook.com/MyIslandBistroKitchen/
Follow “the Bistro” on Twitter: https://twitter.com/PEIBistro/
See the drool-worthy gallery of mouth-watering food photos from My Island Bistro Kitchen on Instagram: https://www.instagram.com/peibistro/
Follow “the Bistro” on Pinterest at https://www.pinterest.ca/peibistro/
And, of course, by subscribing to receive an email notification of new posts and recipes, you can be among the first to know when I publish a new post or recipe. Simply enter your name and email address in the Subscription block over on the right-hand side of my home page.
These delightful no-bake bars are almost like candy! Bar none, these classic Nanaimo Bars are my all-time favorite bars. They consist of three layers: 1) a chocolate base consisting of graham wafer crumbs, nuts, cocoa, and coconut; 2) a soft yellow-colored custard-flavored filling made primarily with icing sugar and custard powder; and 3) a rich chocolate ganache topping.
There is a lot of mystery around the history and exact origins of the decadent Nanaimo Bars. The history has been traced back to the early 1950s when a square, simply called “Chocolate Square” (with the ingredients we know today as “Nanaimo Bars”), appeared in the 1952 Women’s Auxiliary of the Nanaimo Hospital Cookbook in British Columbia. Shortly after, circa 1953, the same recipe appeared, under the name of “Nanaimo Bars” in the Edith Adams Cookbook (14th edition). Both recipes have the same common ingredients. As to who the precise creator of the recipe was, however, has not been definitively determined and the square, or bar, has gone by several names over the years, including New York Slice, Smog Squares, and London Fog Bars. Whomever it was, they created a sure winner that has endured throughout the years and the treat is commonly known as Nanaimo Bars!
These bars are not difficult to make but they do take a little time since there are three parts to the bars — a base, filling, and topping. I recommend making the base in the top of a double boiler or, alternatively, in a heat-proof bowl over a saucepan of simmering water. The base can be made in a heavy-bottomed saucepan but it can set up rather quickly using this method and there is always the danger of scorching the ingredients.
For the filling, I use Bird’s brand vanilla custard powder,usually found in the baking aisle of Canadian supermarkets. However, any vanilla custard powder may be used in this recipe. Many recipes for Nanaimo Bars only use a couple of tablespoons of custard powder. However, I find that makes the filling too soft and squishy for handling. I use 3 1/2 tablespoons of custard powder in my recipe and find it gives a lovely velvety textured filling that will hold its own when handled.
While they are called “bars”, I cut mine into squares and, from a 9″x9″ pan, I get 25 delectable squares. These need to be kept refrigerated, or frozen for longer storage.
[Printable recipe follows at end of posting]
Ingredients:
Base:
½ cup butter
¼ cup granulated sugar
6 tbsp cocoa
1 extra-large egg, room temperature, lightly beaten
2 cups graham cracker crumbs
2/3 cup sweetened shredded coconut
½ cup chopped toasted pecans
Filling:
½ cup butter, softened at room temperature
2½ tbsp whipping cream (35%)
3½ tbsp vanilla custard powder
1 tsp pure vanilla
2 cups sifted icing sugar (aka powdered sugar or confectioner’s sugar)
Topping:
4 oz semi-sweet chocolate
2 tbsp butter, softened at room temperature
Method:
Line 9” square pan with parchment paper leaving enough overhang to easily lift finished square from pan for cutting.
Base: In bottom of double boiler, bring about 2” of water to the simmer point (around 200°F). Maintain the water at this simmer point over medium-low heat. In the top of the double boiler, melt the butter and then add the sugar and cocoa powder. Stir to combine ingredients. Whisk in the egg. Stir until mixture thickens. Remove saucepan from heat and stir in the graham cracker crumbs, coconut, and nuts. Press mixture into prepared pan. Cool in refrigerator for 10-15 minutes.
Filling: In stand mixer fitted with paddle attachment, cream the butter and whipping cream together. Add the vanilla. Blend in the custard powder followed by the icing sugar, beating until mixture is smooth. If mixture appears too stiff, add 1-2 teaspoons whipping cream and beat mixture well to combine (note, however, that mixture should not be soupy). Spread evenly over cooled base. Refrigerate 1-2 hours.
Topping: In small saucepan, over low heat, melt the chocolate and butter together, stirring to mix. Spread evenly over chilled filling. Refrigerate to set chocolate, approximately 30 minutes. Use a sharp, flat blade knife to cut into squares.
Refrigerate bars in single layer in airtight container for up to 5 days or, for longer storage, freeze in airtight container.
Yield: 1 - 9"x9" pan, approximately 25 squares
Join the Facebook page for My Island Bistro Kitchen: https://www.facebook.com/MyIslandBistroKitchen/
Follow “the Bistro” on Twitter: https://twitter.com/PEIBistro/
See the drool-worthy gallery of mouth-watering food photos from My Island Bistro Kitchen on Instagram: https://www.instagram.com/peibistro/
Follow “the Bistro” on Pinterest at https://www.pinterest.ca/peibistro/
This no-bake chocolate coconut square is one of the easiest to make and it does not take a lot of ingredients. The recipe calls for graham wafer crumbs – to make this square gluten-free, use gluten-free graham style crumbs. There may be a number of brands of these crumbs available. I use the Kinnikinnick brand. In fact, the squares in the photos in this post are made with these gluten-free crumbs.
This square is almost candy-bar quality. It is not a thick square but it is rich, moist, and very tasty! A great treat anytime and a sure favorite on any sweet tray.
Ingredients:
½ cup butter, softened at room temperature
2 tbsp brown sugar
2 tbsp granulated sugar
3 tbsp unsweetened cocoa
1 extra large egg, room temperature, beaten
1 tsp vanilla
2 cups graham wafer crumbs
1 cup shredded unsweetened coconut
½ cup chopped pecans
Method:
Line 9”x9” baking pan with parchment paper, leaving enough paper overhang that finished square can be lifted from the pan for easy icing and cutting.
Combine butter, sugars, and cocoa in medium-sized heavy bottomed saucepan. Cook over medium low heat until butters melt and ingredients are combined and heated. Stir frequently to prevent scorching. Do not boil.
Add the beaten egg and vanilla. Cook over medium low heat for 2-3 minutes, stirring constantly.
Remove from heat and add the graham wafer crumbs, coconut, and pecans. Stir to combine ingredients well.
Spread mixture evenly in prepared pan. Cool. Ice with buttercream icing (recipe follows). Cut into squares of desired size.
Ingredients:
2 cups sifted powdered sugar (aka icing sugar/confectioner’s sugar)
3 tbsp butter, softened at room temperature
2½ tbsp water
½ tsp almond flavoring
1 – oz square semi-sweet chocolate
1 tbsp butter, softened at room temperature
Method:
Combine the powdered sugar and butter in bowl of stand mixer. Mix on low speed to blend in butter. Add the water and almond flavoring and increase speed to medium-low to blend ingredients. Increase speed to high and beat an additional minute to ensure ingredients are well combined and icing is smooth. Additional water may be required to make icing of desired spreading consistency. If adding additional water, add by ½ teaspoon at a time.
Spread icing evenly over square. Melt the chocolate square and butter in small dish in microwave only until the ingredients have melted enough to be blended together. Drizzle in desired design over icing. Cut squares into desired size.
Yield: 1 – 9”x9” pan of squares
Easy-to-make unbaked chocolate coconut square is sure to appeal to any sweet tooth and make a fine addition to sweet trays
Combine butter, sugars, and cocoa in medium-sized heavy bottomed saucepan. Cook over medium low heat until butters melt and ingredients are combined and heated. Stir frequently to prevent scorching. Do not boil.
Spread icing evenly over square. Melt the chocolate square and butter in small dish in microwave only until the ingredients have melted enough to be blended together. Drizzle in desired design over icing. Cut squares into desired size.
Yield: 1 – 9”x9” pan of squares
To make this square gluten-free, use gluten-free graham style crumbs.
Save one of these photos to your favorite Pinterest boards!
Jam Squares are an old-fashioned favourite that I grew up with. They are easy to make and only take common ingredients. While any kind of jam may be used, they are most showy when red jam, such as raspberry, is chosen. They are a treat at any time and look especially good on sweet trays for special events.
[Printable Recipe follows at end of posting]
Ingredients:
1/3 cup butter
1 egg
1 tsp vanilla
½ tsp almond flavoring
½ cup white sugar
1 cup + 2 tbsp all-purpose flour
1 tsp baking powder
¼ tsp salt
¼ tsp cinnamon
⅛ tsp cardamom
Finely grated rind of 1 lemon
½ cup raspberry jam
Method:
Preheat oven to 350°.
Assemble ingredients.
Prepare 8”x8” pan by lining with parchment paper.
With electric mixer, beat butter well in medium-sized bowl. Beat in egg, vanilla, and almond flavouring.
Sift sugar, flour, baking powder, salt, cinnamon, and cardamom together. Stir in grated lemon rind. Add to butter-egg mixture and blend thoroughly.
Shape dough into a small oblong shape. Cut off about one-third of the dough and place in freezer for 15 minutes.
Meanwhile, press remaining dough into prepared pan. Place pan in freezer for 15 minutes.
Remove both the reserved dough and the pan from the freezer. Evenly spread the ½ cup raspberry preserves over dough in pan.
Using a grater, grate the reserved dough evenly over the jam.
Bake for 35 minutes or until topping on square is lightly golden in color.
Let square cool completely in pan before removing and cutting into 16 squares.
Jam Squares take only common ingredients. While any kind of jam may be used, they are most showy when red jam is chosen.
Copyright My Island Bistro Kitchen
Ever wonder about the history of old vintage recipes? I so wish that accurate records existed about the origins of some of the old nostalgic recipes like the one for Queen Elizabeth Cake, for example.
This is one recipe that has some history to it but just how much is fact and how much is fable, myth, or folklore is up for certain debate.
Queen Elizabeth Cake is, next to a plain white vanilla or simple chocolate cake, probably one of the most basic, nondescript cakes you could come by. Made with a simple batter with some dates and mild spices mixed in, its glory comes from the topping made of butter, brown sugar, cream, vanilla, and coconut that almost borders on toffee. Yes, this will remind you of a cold version of sticky date pudding.
Now, sometimes, you may see this referred to as Queen Elizabeth “Square” versus “Cake”. However, I think it most closely resembles a cake more so than a square. This is because the texture is light and tender, the crumb an even grain, and the body of the cake has a springiness to the touch. This is in contrast to what defines a typical square (or bars) – i.e., a dense texture and chewy consistency. I would class this cake as a hearty, substantial cake.
So, just where and when did Queen Elizabeth Cake originate? This is where fact and fiction intertwine and become somewhat blurry. I did quite a bit of research on this cake. One intriguing story is that it is Her Majesty Queen Elizabeth II’s own recipe from which she made cakes herself and sold them for charitable purposes. This claim suggests the recipe originated in Buckingham Palace after the 1953 Coronation. I could find no information or evidence to substantiate this claim and neither could I find any reference to this history on the Buckingham Palace website.
In the June 1953 issue of the Canadian magazine, Chatelaine, a recipe for Queen Elizabeth II Cake was published. Chatelaine’s April 20, 2016, online posting which shared a photo of the 1953 published recipe claims it “was created specifically for the Queen’s Coronation” but gives no indication of who the actual creator was or any detail about how or why the specific ingredients were chosen.
Other information suggests the cake may have been created much earlier to commemorate Queen Elizabeth, the Queen Mother’s popularity and her historic visit with her husband, King George VI, to Canada in 1939.
Yet, other information suggests the cake was appearing in local community cookbooks in the 1940s when it was known as “Princess Elizabeth Cake” and there is suggestion that the name may have been changed to “Queen Elizabeth Cake” after the 1953 Coronation of Her Majesty Queen Elizabeth II.
So, all this to say, I could not definitively, with any degree of accuracy, determine the exact origins of this cake. I do personally recall childhood memories of this cake appearing at community and church events in the 1960s and 1970s in the part of Prince Edward Island in which I grew up. Plates of sweets inevitably always had this cake on it, although I believe it was referred to as Queen Elizabeth “Square”. I am reasonably certain of the specific ladies who would, most likely, have been the makers of this cake but they have, unfortunately, all passed on, taking with them whatever memories they may have had associated with the Queen Elizabeth Cake/Square.
Granted, I’ll admit the Queen Elizabeth Cake is not the most attractive cake but, boy oh boy, do the flavor, moist texture, and the kicker topping more than make up for it! This is one cake that, as the old saying goes, you ought not judge the book by the cover! While this is not a cake that my mother made, she does have it in a handwritten recipe “scribbler” that was started in 1963. There is no indication on the handwritten recipe whose it was or where it came from. It cryptically lists the ingredients but contains no method, baking pan size, or baking temperature. This is typical because cooks, in years gone by, simply knew how to pull together a cake and, from whomever the recipe was gotten, it was probably baked in the cook’s wood stove oven (I’ll never know how they regulated the temperature in those). My mother says the cake was probably popular because it needed no frosting/icing since the topping is the “dressing” on the cake.
I have taken the basic recipe, adapted some of the ingredients and proportions, added some additional flavoring and spices (the recipe I adapted this one from had no spices listed) and tested the recipe out using different baking pan sizes, writing down the instructions as I worked. What has resulted is this recipe for one of the most tasty tray/slab cakes imaginable given that it is made with such simple, basic kitchen staple ingredients.
Some tips on making Queen Elizabeth Cake:
Splendid, no matter its history or how it’s served, this cake pairs particularly well with a spot of tea…. perhaps Earl Grey blend. This is a smooth black tea that has citrus notes that complement the sweetness of the cake. With its high concentration of tannins, it’s also a great tea to cleanse the mouth after each bite of the cake so that every bite of this moist and flavorful cake tastes as good as the first one!
[Printable Recipe Follows at end of Posting]
Queen Elizabeth Cake
Ingredients:
1 cup dates, chopped
1 tsp soda
1 cup boiling water
1½ cups all-purpose flour
1 tsp baking powder
¼ tsp salt
1 tsp cinnamon
¼ tsp nutmeg
Pinch allspice
¼ cup butter
1 cup granulated sugar
1 extra large egg, lightly beaten
¼ tsp orange extract
1 tsp vanilla
Topping:
3 tbsp melted butter
2/3 cup brown sugar
3 tbsp cream (18%)
½ tsp vanilla
2/3 cup shredded coconut
Method:
Cake:
Place dates and soda in medium-sized saucepan. Add the boiling water. Simmer for about 4-5 minutes then cool completely at room temperature.
Position oven rack in centre of oven and preheat oven to 350°F. Grease 9”x13” baking pan or line with parchment paper (or even greased tin foil).
Sift flour, baking powder, salt, and spices together. Set aside.
In bowl of stand mixer, cream the butter and sugar. Beat in the egg, orange extract, and vanilla. Transfer mixture to cooled dates. Stir well.
Transfer one-third of the sifted dry ingredients to the mixer bowl. Beat in one-half of the wet ingredients. Add another third of the dry ingredients. Blend well. Mix in the remainder of the wet ingredients. Finish by incorporating the remaining dry ingredients. Mix well to combine. Don’t overmix.
Spread batter evenly in prepared baking pan. Transfer to preheated oven and bake for approximately 30-40 minutes, until a cake tester inserted into center of cake comes out clean. Remove the cake from the oven.
Topping:
About 5 minutes before the cake is due to be removed from the oven, begin to prepare the cake topping. In medium-sized saucepan, melt the 3 tablespoons of butter. Blend in the brown sugar and cream. Bring to a boil over medium heat and boil for 3 minutes, stirring regularly to prevent scorching. Remove from heat and quickly stir in the vanilla and coconut. Pour and spread this mixture evenly over the warm cake and return it to the oven to brown slightly for 3-4 minutes. Remove cake from oven and place on wire rack to cool completely before cutting and serving.
This cake freezes well.
Yield: 1 – 9”x13” single layer cake
This moist and flavorful cake is made with dates and spices and features a delectable toffee-like topping
Ingredients
Instructions
Notes
Please refer to entire blog posting for hints and tips on making this cake.
If you like brown sugar fudge, you’ll love this Gluten-free Brown Sugar Fudge Square, even if you aren’t gluten-intolerant or on a grain-restrictive diet! With a cake-type base, it’s the fudge icing that makes this square and takes it from plain to yummy. It’s like having cake and candy at the same time!
I use 1-to-1 gluten-free baking flour along with a small amount of coconut flour in this square. The coconut flour blends well with the shredded coconut in the recipe and gives the square extra flavor. Super easy square to make.
The slightly tricky part is making the icing as it will “set up” very fast. Make sure you have all the ingredients pre-measured and at hand when you start to make the icing. It’s essential that the icing sugar be sifted to remove any lumps as there won’t be any time to work out any lumps when beating the icing sugar into the hot butter-sugar mixture. Once the icing starts to thicken, work quickly to spread it over the square.
This square freezes beautifully and is great to have on hand when you just need to have something sweet!
[Printable version of recipe follows at end of posting]
Gluten-free Brown Sugar Fudge Square
Ingredients:
Square
½ cup minus 1 tbsp butter, softened at room temperature
1 cup brown sugar, lightly packed
1 extra-large egg (at room temperature for 20 minutes)
½ tsp pure vanilla
1 cup 1-to-1 gluten-free baking flour
2 tbsp coconut flour
1 tsp baking powder
pinch salt
1/3 cup milk
½ cup shredded coconut
Icing
3 tbsp butter, softened at room temperature
¾ cup brown sugar, lightly packed
3 tbsp cream
1 cup sifted icing sugar
1 tsp vanilla
Walnut halves for decoration (optional)
Method:
Preheat oven to 350°F. Grease or, alternatively, line 9” square baking pan with tin foil and spray with cooking oil.
Square: Cream butter and sugar together. Add the egg and beat well to combine with butter-sugar mixture. Beat in vanilla.
Sift the 1-to-1 gluten-free flour, coconut flour, baking powder, and salt together. Add the dry ingredients and milk to the creamed mixture in three parts (3 parts dry and 2 parts wet) starting and ending with the dry ingredients. Beat for 1 minute longer on medium speed. Fold in the shredded coconut. Spread batter evenly in prepared pan.
Bake for 30-32 minutes or until cake tester inserted into center of square comes out clean. Remove square from oven and place on wire rack to cool completely.
Icing: When square has cooled, make the icing by combining the butter and brown sugar in a saucepan over medium heat. Stir until both have melted/dissolved. Add the cream. Bring mixture to a boil. Reduce heat and simmer for 2 minutes, stirring occasionally. Remove from heat and, with an electric hand mixer, beat in the icing sugar until mixture starts to thicken. Immediately stir in the vanilla and, working quickly (as this icing will “set up” very fast), spread the icing evenly over square. Score cutting lines on square and, if desired, place one walnut half on each individual square. Let icing set completely before cutting squares.
Yield: One 9” pan of squares
An old-fashioned fudge square made with gluten-free flour and topped with brown sugar fudge icing.
Ingredients
Instructions
This is one of my most favorite squares! I have been making this recipe for years. It’s good any time of the year and is often found in my summer picnic basket. With its rich, gooey chocolate center and a slightly crunchy topping, it’s a real treat for sure, especially for chocolate lovers.
Ingredients:
Base:
1 cup all-purpose flour
1 tsp baking powder
Pinch salt
⅓ cup butter, softened
⅓ cup brown sugar, packed
2 egg yolks
10 oz. chocolate chips
Topping:
2 egg whites, beaten stiff
⅛ tsp cream of tartar
1 cup brown sugar, lightly packed
1 tsp vanilla
½ cup macaroon coconut
Method:
Assemble ingredients.
Prepare 9” square pan by lining with tin foil and spraying with cooking oil.
Preheat oven to 350°F.
Base:
In small bowl, whisk together the flour, baking powder, and salt. Set aside.
Cream butter and brown sugar together. Add egg yolks, one at a time, beating well after each addition.
Add dry ingredients and stir just until dry ingredients are incorporated.
Evenly press dough into prepared pan.
Evenly sprinkle the chocolate chips over the dough. Set aside.
Topping:
In clean mixer bowl, beat the two egg whites with the cream of tartar until soft peaks form.
Beat in the brown sugar, adding a tablespoon at a time.
Add the vanilla.
Fold in the coconut.
Spread the topping evenly over the chocolate chips.
Bake for 30-35 minutes or until topping is browned. Remove from oven and place pan on wire cooling rack. Let cool completely. Lift tin foil and square from the pan and cut into squares.
Ingredients
Instructions
——————————————————————————–
Thank you for visiting “the Bistro” today. If you enjoyed this posting and recipe, please share it on your social media websites.
Connect with “the Bistro” through the following social media:
Join My Island Bistro Kitchen on Facebook
Follow “the Bistro’s” tweets on Twitter
Follow “the Bistro” on Pinterest
Follow “the Bistro” on Instagram
Today, I am sharing a sweet treat with you. In fact, it’s so sweet, it’s almost more like candy than it is a square. This is one of the easiest squares to make and it requires few ingredients and no cooking or baking.
This square is perfect for picnics and is a colorful and tasty addition to any sweet tray. It’s the perfect anytime treat.
While it is not necessary to line the pan with tin foil, I like to do so for a couple of reasons. First, it protects my pan and, second, it makes it easier to cut the squares. I find, if I don’t line my baking pans, when I go to cut the squares, the knife scratches the pan surface and ruins it. By lining the pan with tin foil, it is easy to lift the square out of the pan, peel back the tin foil and easily cut straight squares. With this square, I very lightly butter the sides of the foil-lined pan which helps the tin foil to peel off easier.
Any kind of shredded coconut can be used in this square; however, the shredded rainbow coconut adds additional color. Very finely ground graham wafer crumbs can be lightly sprinkled on top of square if desired along with a sprinkling of extra coconut.
[Printable recipe follows at end of post]
Ingredients:
12 graham wafers
½ cup butter
2 cups icing (confectioner’s) sugar
¼ cup whole milk
1 tsp vanilla
½ cup shredded coconut
2½ cups colored miniature marshmallows
½ tbsp finely ground graham wafer crumbs (optional)
Method:
Lightly butter sides of 9”x9” pan and line pan with 12 graham wafers, cutting wafers to fit as necessary.
Cream butter and icing sugar together. Blend in milk and vanilla until smooth.
Carefully fold in coconut and marshmallows.
Spread mixture evenly over graham wafers. Lightly sprinkle finely ground graham wafer crumbs and some extra coconut over top of square, if desired.
Refrigerate for at least a couple of hours to allow the square to set. Cut into squares. Keep refrigerated until serving.
Yield: Apx. 16 servings
Yield: Apx. 16 servings
Thank you for visiting “the Bistro” today. Connect with “the Bistro” through the following social media:
Join My Island Bistro Kitchen on Facebook
Follow “the Bistro’s” tweets on Twitter
Follow “the Bistro” on Pinterest
Follow “the Bistro” on Instagram
There is nothing more plain yet more tasty, in my opinion, than a good old-fashioned brownie. One of the best things about brownies is that they don’t take any ingredients that most bakers are unlikely to have in their cupboards. That means they can be whipped up fairly quickly without a lot of advance planning and a trip to the supermarket. They can also be eaten plain or dolled up with a dob of icing and a piece of maraschino cherry or they can be iced all over.
Brownies have stood the test of time and remain a perennial favorite. Even today, you are likely to still find brownies gracing sweet trays on refreshment tables at events….and they are rarely the last pieces left standing on the plates.
I have a few tips to making brownies:
I like to line my baking pans with either parchment paper or tin foil and leave enough of a hang-over on the sides that I can easily lift the entire square out of the pan. This makes it very easy to cut squares.
These are not the gooey, fudge-like brownies. They are more of a cake-type brownie. They hold up well when you pick them up and they have exceptionally good flavor contingent, of course, on using a good quality chocolate.
Ingredients:
½ cup shortening
1 cup white sugar
½ cup Dutch-processed cocoa powder
½ cup boiling water
2 eggs, lightly beaten
1 tsp vanilla
1 cup flour
½ tsp salt
1 tsp baking powder
½ cup walnuts (optional)
Method:
Preheat oven to 350°F.
Assemble ingredients.
To prepare 8”x8” square pan, line with tin foil and spray with cooking oil. Set aside.
Cream shortening and white sugar together.
Mix cocoa and boiling water together until smooth and lump-free. Add to shortening-sugar mixture and beat until incorporated.
Add lightly beaten eggs and vanilla. Mix together well.
Whisk flour, salt, and baking powder together.
Add dry ingredients to liquid ingredients, mixing only until dry ingredients are incorporated. Stir in walnuts if using.
Transfer batter to prepared baking pan. Spread evenly.
Bake for 25-30 minutes or until cake tester inserted into centre of brownie comes out clean and sides of brownie shows signs of pulling away from the pan. Let brownie rest in pan for about ten minutes then, using the edges of the tin foil as handles, gently remove the brownie from the pan and transfer to wire rack to finish cooling.
When completely cool, cut into squares and ice each square with a dob of icing and decorate with a piece of maraschino cherry, if desired.
NOTE: These brownies may also be baked in a 9”x9” pan for about 25 minutes or until cake tester inserted into centre of brownie comes out clean and sides of brownie show signs of pulling away from the pan. Baking them in a 9″x9″ pan will yield more dainty brownies.
NOTE: These brownies may also be baked in a 9”x9” pan for about 25 minutes or until cake tester inserted into centre of brownie comes out clean and sides of brownie shows signs of pulling away from the pan.
Thank you for visiting “the Bistro” today. There are lots of ways to connect with “the Bistro” through social media:
Join My Island Bistro Kitchen on Facebook
Follow the Bistro’s tweets on twitter @PEIBistro
Find the Bistro on Pinterest at “Island Bistro Kitchen”
Follow along on Instagram at “peibistro”
You may know these as Matrimonial Squares. I have always known them as Date Squares. Regardless what they are called, they are tasty. Growing up, Date Squares were pretty much a staple in our household. They are a good, wholesome square made with a tasty date mixture sandwiched between two layers of a rolled oats, flour, and butter mixture. While these squares can be made with margarine, they are ever so much better when made with butter! I add a touch of orange rind to my recipe as it gives them a nice tangy taste.
Date Squares
Ingredients:
12 oz dates, chopped
1 cup boiling water
3 tbsp boiling orange juice
3 tbsp brown sugar
1½ tsp vanilla
3/4 tsp almond flavouring
1⅔ cups rolled oats (not instant)
1 cup + 2 tbsp flour
1 cup brown sugar, packed
1 tsp baking soda
¼ tsp salt
Scant 1 tbsp grated orange rind
1 cup cold butter
Method:
Assemble ingredients.
Preheat oven to 350°F.
Line 9” square pan with parchment paper.
In saucepan, combine dates, boiling water and orange juice, and brown sugar. Let stand 15 minutes.
Over medium-low heat, bring date mixture to a boil and boil gently, stirring frequently, until mixture thickens, about 3-5 minutes. If mixture thickens too fast, add a couple of tablespoons of water, one tablespoon at a time.
Remove from heat and add vanilla and almond flavouring. Let cool for about 10 minutes.
Meanwhile, in large bowl, combine rolled oats, flour, brown sugar, soda, salt, and grated orange rind.
Cut, or grate, in the cold butter until mixture becomes coarse crumbs.
Press between a scant ⅔ of the crumb mixture into the bottom of the prepared pan. Spread the slightly cooled date mixture over crumb base. Sprinkle remaining crumb mixture over date filling.
Bake until crumbs are golden, about 25 – 30 minutes.
Let cool completely in pan on wire rack. Remove from pan and cut into squares.
Thank you for visiting “the Bistro” today.
Joining the Facebook page for My Island Bistro Kitchen: https://www.facebook.com/MyIslandBistroKitchen/
Following “the Bistro” on Twitter: https://twitter.com/PEIBistro/
Seeing the drool-worthy gallery of mouth-watering food photos from My Island Bistro Kitchen on Instagram: https://www.instagram.com/peibistro/
Following “the Bistro” on Pinterest at https://www.pinterest.ca/peibistro/
Yield: One 9x9 pan of squares
