Back in the day (and I am dating myself here), long about this time of year various ladies' groups would put on teas. They were a great way of the organization earning funds for their charities. Members of the organization would be asked to donate a pan of squares or sweets.
These pans of squares and sweets would then be divided into plates or trays of what were called "Dainties," with a variety of squares being put onto each plate.
.JPG "Plate of Dainties")
I also remember this being done for Christmas teas, and other occasions such as Wedding or Baby Showers. Any time a group of women would be getting together for a special occasion to celebrate one milestone or another.
In the springtime here in the Valley there is something which is called the Apple Blossom Festival. Its been going on since long before I was born. Each town picks a capable young women to be the Princess of that town and then the princesses of all the towns are presented Teas all through the valley throughout the festival, culminating with the crowning of the Apple Blossom Queen at the Saturday night ball.
You can almost guarantee many trays and plates of Dainties will be served!
.JPG "plate of dainties")
You would find such delectable bars such as Nanaimo Bars on these plates. Aso popular would be Oh Henry Bars.
I thought it would be fun today to share some of my favorite squares which I have baked through the years. Some of which would be very pretty on a Dainty tray. I was inspired by a box of Dainties that I picked up at the shops.
.JPG "Plate of Dainties")
I could not resist buying a box of them. I have popped them into the freezer now and we will enjoy them on Christmas eve along with some fruitcake, mince pies and wedges of a good cheddar while we play some games and just enjoy each other's company.
I wish I had time to make a bunch of dainties for the occasion, but alas, time is running out on me, and these will have to suffice. I may be able to get my mother's Feather Squares done now and some shortbreads. It just wouldn't be Christmas without them!
I may have time to bake a few of the pther recipes on offer below, but I also have my Tourtiere, Nuts and Bolts, and some other odds and sods to make before the holiday. Every year I say I am going to start earlier, and every year I somehow find myself falling behind. I think it's that way with us all! Tell me I'm not wrong!
MOM'S FEATHER SQUARES - When my mother had these in the oven, we knew Christmas was just around the corner. We only ever got them at Christmas. With their delicious buttery cake base, jam filling and toasted coconut meringue topping, they delighted us with every mouthful!
SUGARED DATE SQUARES - These delicious date squares are very easy to make. Filled with loads of crunch, from rice crispies and sweetness from the dates, I find them incredibly moreish. On their own they are lovely but cut into small squares and rolled in icing sugar they become melt in the mouth delectable!
MARS BAR SQUARES - Melted mars bars, plenty of crisp rice cereal, melted chocolate on top. If you can melt chocolate, you can make these lovely squares. Seriously, they are that simple! Rich and delicious, I find them to be incredibly moreish. I can never eat just one and I am guessing you won't be able to either!
CHERRY CAKE SQUARES - These are a blondie type of a bar with a pretty basic batter. Dense and chewy, and filled with lots of candied cherries. Topped with a rich buttercream frosting and halved candied cherries, they look really pretty on a dainty tray. They are delicious!
CLASSIC DATE SQUARES - With their oaty crumble topping and base and sweet sticky date filling, these have always been a family favorite. Again, they were only something my mother would bake for us at Christmas, and we looked forward to them each and every year!
SWEET MARIE BARS - These delicious bars taste just like the old chocolate bar they used to make called the Sweet Marie Bar. Like the chocolate bar, they are chock full of crunchy-ness, and chewy-ness, and peanuty-ness, and scrummy-ness . . . with just the right amount of chocolaty-ness to make them incredibly moreish, can't put me down . . . addictive-ness . . .
FLASH IN THE PAN CHOCOLATE SQUARES - This is a lovely and moist chocolate bar/cake. Not too sweet, but with just the right amount of chocolate flavor. It is more like a cake than a bar. I don't think you could call it a brownie, unless you are wanting a very cake-like brownie. I like to top each square with a walnut half before baking. You could frost if you wished.
QUEEN OF PUDDING CAKES - Delightful little cakes. Perfect for parties! It's a one bowl method cake so it's perfect for little hands to help with. They will also enjoy topping the finished cakes with those dainty crisp meringues.
STRAWBERRY JAM TRAY BAKE - These boast a flaky short crust pastry bottom. This is topped with sweet strawberry jam. I like to use the seedless jam. A cake batter is baked on top and then once baked a decorative glaze is applied. Delicious!
CHOCOLATE RASPBERRY PIE BARS - With these squares, you end up with a crisp and buttery brown sugar, almost shortbread-like crust. That is topped with a sweet milk chocolate filling, cookie dough crumbles, semi-sweet chocolate chips and fresh raspberries. What's not to like about that! Not a heck of a lot I say! Not a heck of a lot!
WALNUT MERINGUE BARS - what you have here is a square with a beautifully moist caramel flavoured cake base. Brown sugar keeps it moist and gives it that lovely caramel flavour. I would say it is very similar to a blondie base. This gets topped with a delectable brown sugar and walnut meringue. Together the two are undeniably delicious!
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Sugar Crusted Almond Bars
Ingredients:
- 2 cans of refrigerated croissant rolls
- 1/2 cup butter (120g) (don't attempt to use margarine)
- 2 cups flaked almonds (340g)
- 1 1/3 cups sugar (250g)
- icing sugar to dust
Instructions:
- Preheat the oven to 190*C/375*F/ gas mark 5. Line a large flat baking sheet with some baking paper.
- Melt the butter in a saucepan over medium low heat. Add the almonds and sugar. Cook for 5 to 8 minutes, stirring frequently until the almonds just begin to turn golden brown. Remove from the heat immediately.
- Break open the tins of croissant dough and unroll them on the baking sheet, pressing the perforations closed and joining them together.
- Scatter the almond mixture evenly over top of the dough.
- Bake for11 to 16 minutes, until crisp and golden brown. Allow to cool for half an hour then sprinkle with some icing sugar and serve. Cut into squares to serve.
I've had this Marks & Sparks' cookery book burning a hole in my bookcase for several months now. I take it out every now and again and think I should make something from it, but then I either don't have all the ingredients or I get distracted and, well . . . you know how it goes . . .
A few days later, I haven't baked anything from it and Todd is nagging me to put it away . . . sigh . . .
Today I finally cooked a recipe from it! There was this really scrummy looking recipe in it for Cappuccino Brownies and I thought I wanted to give it a go.
Except I'm a Mormon and we don't do coffee . . . these looked really moist and delicious though . . .
What to do . . . what to do . . .
I used Camp Chicory Essence instead. 2 TBS of it. They turned out lovely.
The original recipe called for a 7 by 11 inch shallow pan. There is no way this batter was fitting into that size of pan. I cooked them in a 9 inch square pan instead.
In retrospect, I should have cooked them in my 9 by 13 inch tray bake pan as the batter rose right up to the top in the smaller pan, it took them longer to cook as they were thicker and they ended up more like a cake than a brownie.
I want to try them again in the larger pan, cooked for a shorter amount of time and see what happens. Nevermind though, this is really a scrummy cake, if not a Brownie . . .
And that icing is to die for!
*Cappuccino Brownies*
Makes 15
Printable Recipes
Moist and delicious with a mild coffee mocha flavour and a rich white chocolate frosting.
8 ounces of butter, softened (1 cup)
225g of self raising flour (scant 2 cups)
1 tsp baking powder
1 tsp cocoa powder
225g of caster sugar (generous cup)
4 large eggs, beaten
3 TBS instant coffee granules, dissolved in
2 TBS hot water (Note - I used 2 TBS camp chicory essence)
White chocolate frosting:
4 ounces white chocolate, broken into bits
2 ounces butter, softened (1/4 cup)
3 TBS milk
6 ounces icing sugar, sifted (1 1/2 cups)
To decorate:
sifted cocoa powder
Preheat the oven to 180*C/350*F/ gas mark 4. Grease and line the base of a shallow 9 by 13 inch baking tin.
Sift the flour, baking powder, and cocoa into a bowl. Add the butter, eggs, and coffee mixture. Beat well with an electric whisk until smooth. Spread in the prepared tin, smoothing the top.
Bake for 35 to 40 minutes, until well risen and the top springs back when lightly touched. Leave in the tin to cool for 10 minutes before turning out onto a wire rack to cool completely before frosting.
To make the frosting, place the chocolate, butter and milk in a bowl set over a saucepan of simmering water. Don't let the bottom of the bowl touch the water. Heat and stir until the choclate has melted. Remove the bowl from the saucepan and sift in the icing sugar. Beat until smooth and creamy. Spread over the top of the cake. Sift with more cocoa powder. Cut into squares to serve.
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