Showing posts with label cookies and bars. Show all posts
Showing posts with label cookies and bars. Show all posts
I wanted to share a recipe with you today for old fashioned date bars. This is the kind of recipe your grandmother would have made. My recipe comes handed down generation through generation.
It was my mother's maternal Aunt Orabelle's recipe and was probably my Great Grandmother Best's recipe. People have been baking these delicious date bars in my family for a very long time. No small wonder. They are delicious!
These have long been a family favorite. My mother always, always made them at Christmas. She never really baked any other time of the year.
It is something I used to bake for my own children. I small batched the recipe today because, now that I am on my own, I just don't need a big pan of date bars tempting me to dig in.
I think these are also called Matrimonial Bars. There are about a bazillion recipes for them out there in the world. This one is my family's recipe.
My Aunt Orabelle passed away when I was a young teenager, so you know this is not a copycat recipe, but a family recipe. I love family recipes. They are laced with history and feelings of love. Most come from a different era where every woman cooked and baked for her family, having been taught to do so at her mother's knee.
Aunt Orabelle was no different. She was my Grandmother Nina's oldest sister. She married a farmer on the South Mountain up in Inglisville, named Robie McGill. The old farm is still there as far as I know.
Uncle Robie used to keep an old white horse in the pasture next to the farm house. When we knew it, the horse was blind and could no longer see, but we used to love to feed it apples and carrots.
I am not sure how it knew we were there, but somehow it did and it would amble over to the fence and we would hold them out to the horse in our hands and it would take them from us and eat them, nickering gently while it did. It never bit us.
Aunt Orabelle also made great doughnuts. Mom said that in her later years her fingers were always burnt because when she was frying them, they would dip down into the hot fat. She had no feeling in them, so didn't know they were being burnt. (*cringe*)
She was already quite old when we used to go there, Uncle Robie was no longer with us. I just basically remember as a very old lady sitting in a rocking chair in the kitchen. We were banished outside to feed and talk to the horse.
Aunt Orabelle had dementia at that point in her life, which now that I think about it is kind of worrisome as her mother also had it when she passed as did my own mother. But we won't think about that.
These are the perfect date squares. There is nothing unusual here. Just simple old fashioned wholesome ingredients.
Oats and dates are the primary ingredients.
I always use the large flaked old fashioned rolled oats. Don't ever be tempted to use instant oats or any other kind. Only the large flaked oats will give you the perfect result.
Instant oats would just be all wrong. All wrong.
My Aunt and mother always used the block dates that came pitted and wrapped in plastic. They were very easy to cut down through the block into bits.
I use loose dates, usually organic Medjool, and I cut them into bits with kitchen scissors. I doubt very much that organic would have been available back then.
While I am at it, I want to draw your attention to this little piece of handiwork of my mothers. Its an old tea towel that she embroidered many, many years ago and gave to me.
It is the only piece of handiwork of hers that I have and I am so grateful that I had the forethought to stick it into my suitcase when I came back to Canada. It would have been lost otherwise.
Like me, my mother loved to embroider and there are quite a few bits of her work still around. This one is mine and I treasure it.
I always make the date filling first so that it can cool somewhat before I use it. Its as simple as simmering dates together with a tiny bit of brown sugar and some boiling water.
You might think it a very watery mix when you first start to cook them, but don't worry, the dates break down as they cook and it all thickens up very nicely.
I have seen people adding lemon or orange to the dates, but Aunt Orabelle never did and this is how we like them.
The oat crumble mixture for these bars is very simple. Flour, brown sugar, soda and salt are put into a bowl and then butter is rubbed into them, which gives you a crumbly mixture.
You then rub the old fashioned oats into the mix. The mixture will be quite crumbly.
About two thirds of the oat crumble gets packed into your prepared baking tin. I like to line my tin with baking paper, which makes it very easy to lift them out with later.
I always press the bottom layer down quite firmly. This is going to form your base and you don't want it falling apart.
The date mixture then gets spread evenly over top.
Once you've done that you simply crumble the remaining oat mixture over top. As evenly as you can. Its okay however if some areas have a bit more than others.
Oh boy, anticipation of the treat which lies ahead should have your tastebuds tingling right about now.
They don't take long to bake. Only about half an hour all told. You will want to leave them to cool completely in the pan.
In fact I like to chill them in the refrigerator so that I can cut them into neater squares. If you can resist them, leave them overnight.
If you have taken my tip and used baking paper, they are very easy to lift out of the pan to a cutting board. I know adding the paper is an extra little step, and not one my old Aunt would have used, although she may have used wax paper. My mom did.
Lifting them out to a cutting board to cut them into slices is the best option. They can be a bit crumbly and this way you will get a much neater slice.
They are knife and fork bars. At least I like to eat them with a knife and fork. I enjoy having a hot cuppa with them as well. Today it was Lemon & Ginger tea, Twinings. One of my favourites.
It went so well with these beautiful bars. I sat in my chair, sipping my tea and enjoying my bars, lifting up the crumbs with a wet finger so that I didn't mess one speck of their sweet, buttery and crumbly deliciousness.
Family recipes and memories are one of life's little pleasures and joys.
Classic Date Squares (small batch)
Yield: Makes 8 squares
Prep time: 10 MinCook time: 25 MinTotal time: 35 Min
This is my Great Aunt Orabelle's recipe, handed down through the generations. Small batched for the smaller family to make only 8 delicious bars.
Ingredients
- 1 cups (156g) chopped pitted dates
- 1 TBS brown sugar
- 1/2 cup (120ml) boiling water
- 1/2 cup (70g) plain flour
- 1/4 tsp baking soda
- pinch salt
- 6 TBS (95g) butter
- 1/2 cup (100g) packed light soft brown sugar
- 1 cup (80g) oats (not instant. I like the old fashioned large flaked oats)
Instructions
- Pre-heat the oven to 350*F/180*C/gas mark 4. Lightly butter a 7- inch square baking tin, line with baking paper leaving an overhang, and set it aside.
- Put the dates into a saucepan along with the TBS of brown sugar and the boiling water. Bring the mixture to the boil and then simmer for about five minutes, until the dates are soft and smooth and most of the water has been absorbed. Mash with a fork and set aside.
- Put the flour, soda, salt and brown sugar into a large bowl and give them a good mix together. Rub in the butter until it resembles coarse crumbs. Stir in the oats and give them a bit of a rub again to mix well. The mixture should stay quite crumbly.
- Put half of the crumbs into the prepared pan and press it down evenly. Spread the cooked date mixture evenly over top of it, then sprinkle the remaining crumbs evenly over top. Press them down very lightly to even them out.
- Bake in the heated oven for 25 minutes, until set and lightly browned. Remove from the oven to a wire rack to cook before cutting into squares to serve. (I leave them overnight, and then lift them out by the baking paper to a cutting board.)
Peanut Butter Cornflake Bars. These delicious bars are a favorite summertime treat! Not only are they no baked, which keeps you out of the heat of the kitchen, but they are quick and easy to make.
They also use only four simple ingredients, excluding the optional topping. Simple ingredients that most people will have in their kitchen right now.
Not only is it a no bake recipe, engineered to get you in and out of the kitchen quickly and fuss free, but it is also a small batch recipe! Yep I small-batched this old, old recipe of mine to make only 8 servings, which is plenty!
Especially if you don't have children around to help you eat them! As it was I took half of them over to my next door neighbor. I wanted to do something nice for her.
She was so warm and welcoming when I was first moving into my new home. I have observed that she is like that with everyone. Always checking on the singles who live on the street making sure they are okay.
She seems very kind. I just wanted to do something nice for her. But, you can't out-give a giver. I came home with two porch chairs that she is lending me until I can get some of my own. Sigh . . .
This was very kind of her. I suppose she had noticed that I was never out on my porch. To be honest I haven't had a lot of time for porch sitting.
Funny that. I thought I would have oodles of extra time on my hands, but it seems my time keeps getting eaten up with one thing or another. I don't mind.
I would much rather be busy than bored silly. Mom always said there was no rest for the wicked. I must be much naughtier than I thought!
In any case, these bars are perfect in the summertime when the temperatures start to soar and you want something sweet to eat, but just don't want to heat up your kitchen!
This content (written and photograph) is the sole property of The English Kitchen. Any reposting or misuse is not permitted. If you are reading this elsewhere, please know that it is stolen content and you may report it to me at mariealicejoan at aol dot com.
They are also something which my children used to love, and I didn't mind making them for them either. They were so quick and easy to make.
Quick, easy, chewy, a but crunchy, these are always on the delicious side of pleasing!
Don't look at how straight cut my squares are. I am having a day when everything I cut is a bit wonky! Some days I can't cut a straight line to save my life! My sister is much better at this than I am at the best of times.
These are chewy, crunchy and filled with loads of peanut butter tastiness! If you like peanut butter as much as I do, prepare yourself to fall in love!
I have often thought about what I would take with me if I knew I was going to be marooned on a desert island. Peanut butter would be one thing (protein and tasty), potatoes (because I just couldn't exist without potatoes.)
An axe or knife and something to start a fire. If you have a few potatoes, you can always grow more. If you have an axe or a knife you can cut brush, sticks, etc. make hunting and fishing tools, a roof for over your head.
The fire one, self explanatory really. Handy for cooking and keeping warm. I reckon you could survive for quite a while with just those things.
Like I said, these tasty bars only take four simple ingredients. Peanut Butter. Corn syrup (or golden syrup). Sugar. Cornflakes cereal.
That's it, so simple! You just melt the peanut butter, syrup and sugar together in a sauce pan, stir in the cornflakes and then press the mixture into an 8-inch square pan.
Alternatively you could press the mixture into a 9 by 5 inch loaf tin, in which case you would get thicker bars, which is also not a bad thing.
Today I added an optional topping. Its just melted chocolate chips with some peanut butter chips sprinkled over top for looks. Easy peasy. Also no bake/little cook.
I melt my chocolate chips in the microwave. Its easily done. Just pop them into a bowl and cook them on high for about a minute or so, stirring them every 30 seconds. The length of time depends on the strength of your microwave.
Mine takes about a minute and a half for the perfect melt. They won't be totally melted, but as you stir them the heat in the bowl and already melted chips will melt everything perfectly.
Just spread that over top of the squares. I also added some peanut butter chops, but white chocolate chips, or butterscotch chips would also be nice, or no chips at all. Its your choice really!
If you are a fan of chewy crunchy moreishness, you are in for a real treat with these simple, easy and quick to make bars. The hardest part will be waiting the hour for them to set up! I guarantee!
Peanut Butter Cornflake Bars (Small Batch)
Yield: 8
Cook time: 15 Mininactive time: 1 HourTotal time: 1 H & 15 M
Delicious bars made with only four ingredients, not including the optional chocolate topping. Quick to make, easy and no bake, these are delicious!
Ingredients
- 3/4 cup (135g) creamy peanut butter
- 1/2 cup (96g) granulated sugar (In the UK use castor sugar)
- 1/2 cup (175g) light corn syrup (In the UK use golden syrup)
- 3 cups (65g)cornflakes
Optional Topping:
- 2/3 cup (120g) chocolate chips, melted
- a handful of peanut butter chips (optional)
Instructions
- Butter an 8-inch square baking tin and line with baking paper. Butter the paper. Set aside.
- Combine the peanut butter, corn syrup and sugar in a saucepan. Cook and stir over medium low heat until the sugar has dissolved completely and everything is well combined. Remove from the heat.
- Stir in the cornflakes and then spread the mixture into your prepared pan, pressing it down lightly.
- Melt the chocolate chips (If using) in which ever way you prefer. (I microwave them on high in a microwavable bowl, stirring them every 30 seconds)
- Pour the melted chocolate chips over the cornflake peanut butter mixture in the pan and spread out to cover completely. (Its easy if you use the back of a metal spoon.) Sprinkle with the peanut butter chips if using.
- Leave to set for about an hour before cutting into bars.
Notes:
If desired you may top these with chocolate and chopped roasted peanuts. Also very delicious!!
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Fudge Brownies. Everyone has their favorite brownie recipe and I am no different. My favorite recipe is my Fudge Walnut Brownies, which I have been baking for years and years. You can find that recipe here.
It is the brownie recipe that I used to bake for my children and it is the brownie recipe that used to be often requested when I worked at the Manor. It is quite simply the best chewy fudge brownie recipe going.
Its just not practical for me to bake a whole pan of brownies these days. As a singleton living on my own, I cannot be trusted with that many brownies! Far too dangerous!
I decided to work at downsizing my recipe so that it made a much smaller amount. The end result is this small-batch fudgy brownie recipe. Built for only two or one as it were.
These are dense and moist, rich and chocolatey. Just what a perfect brownie should be. I have eaten many a brownie in my day, and I declare these perfect.
I have my own ideas about what constitutes a really good brownie. I am always surprised when I see people cooking brownies and declaring them perfect when they are only a mass of sludge and goo.
A good brownie should not be a mass of sludge and goo. You should be able to totally pick up a good brownie in your hands.
Yes, they should be dense and fudgy. Moist and rich. Never runny or under-cooked. You should not ever need a spoon to eat one.
I had occasion to attend a cookery show in London one time. As an invited guest I was asked to bring in a recipe that I had cooked at home. There were several celebrity chef's in this particular show.
The Tanner Brothers and Paul Rankin. There was also a celebrity guest. Vanessa Phelps. One of the things they cooked was brownies. They actually had a brownie bake-off and I have to say, in all honesty I could have taught them a thing or two about baking brownies!
All of their brownies were the absolute worst brownies I have ever seen or tasted. They were masses of gooey chocolate sludge. Maybe it is just impossible to bake a good brownie in the time that they had to bake them in.
But I was singularly un-impressed. Totally disappointed. Surely they could do better than that, and if they didn't have enough time, they would have been much better served to have baked something which could be done properly in the time alloted.
This brownie recipe of mine always turns out. ALWAYS! Each and every time you are assured of the perfect brownie. So long as you follow my instructions. Even this small batch recipe.
One thing to remember when making brownies is to not overmix them. Once you have the chocolate melted and the sugar, eggs, etc. stirred in, you simply need to fold in the flour.
Make sure, of course, that no streaks of white flour remain in the batter. But don't overmix by any stretch. This will result in a tough brownie.
Also don't over-bake them. Not unless you want a more cake-like finish to your brownie. Overbaking is as huge a no-no as is under-baking them.
As you can see, these are lovely and dense. Not cake-like. Not gooey or oozy. Extremely fudgy. I did not add walnuts to these like I normally do.
Instead I opted to sprinkle a few mini chocolate chips on top. You could always fold in some chocolate chips/chunks and toasted nuts, if that is the way you enjoy your brownies.
Perfectly cooked brownies will have a shiny, glossy surface, and these did. I dusted them with icing sugar for photography purposes.
The truth is dark things, chocolate things, etc. never photograph really well. The camera does not like them. Adding something like a dusting of icing sugar helps them to photograph a lot better.
I hope you will forgive me for that. 😉
If you would like to check out all of my brownie recipes, you can find them here. You will need to scroll back through the pages, but not a problem if you like brownies I can assure you.
There is quite a variety to choose from. And I can assure you every one of them is delicious, a tried and true, perfect bake.
In the meantime, if you are looking for smaller sized, brownie perfection, you have come to the right place. Enjoy!
This content (written and photograph) is the sole property of The English Kitchen. Any reposting or misuse is not permitted. If you are reading this elsewhere, please know that it is stolen content and you may report it to me at mariealicejoan at aol dot com.
Fudgy Brownies
Yield: makes 8
Prep time: 10 MinCook time: 25 MinTotal time: 35 Min
I small batched my favorite brownie recipe to make the perfect size for the smaller family. These are rich, fudgy and delicious. Moist and chewy. Take care not to overbake.
Ingredients
- 3 1/2 ounces (100g) good quality semi sweet chocolate chips (scant 2/3 cup)
- 4 TBS butter, cut in four pieces
- 1 TBS unsweetened cocoa powder (not chocolate drink mix)
- 1/2 cup + 2 TBS (120g) sugar
- 1 large free range egg, plus 1 egg yolk
- 1 tsp pure vanilla extract
- 1/4 tsp salt
- 1/2 cup (70g) all purpose plain flour
- a small handful of mini chocolate chips to sprinkle on top
Instructions
- Preheat oven to 350*F/180*C/gas mark 4.
- Line an 8 1/2 inch by 4 1/2 inch loaf tin with some aluminum foil, using two sheets of foil placed perpendicular to each other in the tin, and pushing it firmly into the corners. Leave an overhang in order to better lift the baked brownies out. Butter the foil really well.
- Melt the chocolate chips and butter together over medium low heat in a saucepan. whisking until melted and smoothly amalgamated. Whisk in the cocoa powder. Leave to cool to lukewarm.
- Whisk in the sugar, salt, egg, egg yolk and vanilla extract to combine. Fold in the flour.
- Pour the mixture into the prepared pan, spreading it out to the corners and smoothing over the top. Sprinkle the mini chocolate chips evenly over all.
- Bake in the preheated oven for 25 minutes, or until a toothpick inserted in the center comes out clean with just a few moist crumbs attached. Rotate the pan halfway through the bake time. The surface will be shiny when done.
- Leave to cool completely in the pan. (I leave them overnight so I can cut them neater.)
- Remove from the pan and peel off the foil. Cut into rectangles or squares to serve.
- Store in an airtight container for up to 3 days.
Notes:
- These can be baked in a 9 X 5 inch loaf tin, but will be done about 5 minutes sooner.
- Take care not to overbake or your brownies will be more cake-like rather than fudgy.
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We are having a bit of a heatwave here in Nova Scotia at the moment. Yesterday the temperature got up to the mid 30's and today is expected to be more of the same. Its not the kind of weather you really want to be heating up your oven in!
That's when things such as a chewy rice krispie treats recipe come in really handy. Whether you are a large family or a singleton. I know of nobody who doesn't love these quick and easy cereal bars!
If you are a singleton or an empty nester like myself however, a full batch is a bit more than you can feasibly handle eating! I am on a quest to small-batch as many of my favorite recipes as I can and this is my latest attempt.
I have to say it worked really well! I was very pleased with the results. I love Rice Krispie cereal and this is the best rice krispie treats recipe. I have been making these for years and years.
As with most people, I got the original recipe from the back of a box of Rice Krispies cereal. It was a real favorite with my ex-husband and our children when they were growing up. I am sure I made them at least once a week!
The children loved cleaning out the saucepan after I made them. Somewhere I have a photograph of them doing just that. It was a sticky business, but one which they loved to help with!
They are perfect for afterschool snacks, or for in lunch boxes and I confess, I often made these for family night treats for the kids. I think my ex was the biggest kid of all!
He could polish off half a pan of them without even blinking! He was a real sugar fiend!
These delicious no bake cereal bars, a small batch, are made in a loaf tin. I use a 9 X 5-inch loaf tin which is the ideal size for making bars and cakes for the smaller sized family.
Using that tin, things always cut perfectly into 8 nicely sized bars. This is just right for the smaller sized family and just right for me.
These are the ideal chewy, oowy, gooey, dessert. I love eating them with ice cream if I have any in the house. In fact you can make really good ice cream sandwiches with them!
Just use an 7 inch square pan instead of the loaf tin, and press half of the mixture firmly into the pan. Top with about 2 cups of softened vanilla ice cream and place in the freezer for it to harden. Take out and top with the remainder of the crisp rice mixture, pressing it as firmly as you can over the ice cream.
It helps to use a piece of parchment to do this. Return them to the freezer to let them harden up nicely. Cut into rectangles or squares and wrap individually airtight.
They are ready to enjoy whenever you are wanting an ice cold treat. Especially during the summer months!
I used to make my children a rice krispie ice cream banana split sundae cake when they were growing up. It is pretty much along the same principle, except there is only one layer of rice krispie square mixture.
This is topped with softened ice cream, and sundae sauce. You can use any type of sundae sauce you like or a mixture. I used to drizzle on some caramel, chocolate and strawberry.
This gets topped with crushed peanuts and maraschino cherries and the whole lot gets frozen again. I used to add sliced bananas to the top of each square when I served it, along with another drizzle of whatever topping was their favorite kind.
A sugar fest and once in a blue moon treat for sure, but they loved it!
I took the liberty of adding some pretty cupcake sprinkles to the top of my squares to dress them up a bit. Plain old Krispie bars are not quite as pretty. This isn't necessary however.
They are delicious all on their own, but I thought they would photograph better and be more eye-catching with a bit of colour on top!
Here in Canada I get my cake sprinkles from Sweetpolita. They have a huge variety of sprinkles to choose from. Its very easy to go crazy on their page.
And no, I haven't been paid to say that, or even been given free sprinkles to tell you about them. When I find something I like, I want to share it with my readers, that's all.
I got these as a part of a sampler pack I ordered. They are called Cheep Thrills. I love the bright colours! Very apt for something like a rice krispie treat!
One thing to bear in mind when you are making something like this is to make sure you melt the butter and marshmallows slowly over low heat. If you try to rush the process and increase the temperature, you do risk burning it.
Marshmallows have a high sugar content which burns easily! Been there done that!
You can also melt the mixture in the microwave. It doesn't take long. Bear in mind however you will need a considerably larger container to melt them in as marshmallow really expands.
Also you need to stir it frequently so that it doesn't burn. I stir every 30 seconds or so. How long it takes depends on the strength of your microwave!
If you want to make a full batch of treats, I highly recommend that you check out the Kellogg's site. This is the original recipe from the box and has been pleasing mothers and children for many, many years!
I you are a singleton however, I do hope that you will enjoy this smaller, easy to make, delicious version I have shared with you today. Scrumdiddlyumptious!
Rice Krispie Treats
Yield: makes 8 bars
Cook time: 10 Mininactive time: 1 HourTotal time: 1 H & 10 M
These tasty no-bake treats are quick and easy to make. Designed to get you in and out of the kitchen fast and painlessly. They are a delicious doddle! Suitable for the smaller family.
Ingredients
- 1 TBS salted butter
- 3 cups (75g) crisp rice cereal
- 3 cups (145g) mini marshmallows
- few drops of vanilla
- sprinkles to decorate (optional)
Instructions
- You will need a 9 X 5-inch loaf tin. Line this tin with baking parchment or waxed paper, leaving an overhang to make lifting the bars out of the tin easier.
- Take a large heavy based non-stick saucepan and melt the butter in it over low heat. Add the marshmallows and melt them as well, stirring frequently with a wooden or silicone coated spoon. Make sure they are completely melted and that the butter and marshmallow have completely amalgamated.
- Stir in a few drops of vanilla.
- Stir in the crisp rice cereal, making sure it is well coated with the marshmallow mixture.
- Press this into the prepared loaf tin lightly. Don't compress it too much.
- Sprinkle with cake sprinkles, if using, pressing them lightly to make them adhere.
- Leave for about a hour to set and cool, then cut into squares to serve.
- Store any leftovers in an airtight container.
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