Tarts, bars and squares for the sweet tooth

Press, Volume CXVI, Issue 34149, 10 May 1976, Page 6

Tarts, bars and squares for the sweet tooth

(By

CELIA TIMMS)

Today’s selection of recipes are for those with a “sweet tooth.” They include crunchy nibbles, squares and bars. For those who like dried fruits I have put in a particularly nice recipe for Spiced Prune Tarts. CHOCOLATE BARS Chocolate is probably the most popular of all sweetenings. This recipe for Chocolate Bars has a shortcake base and a rich, crunchy top. You will need:— 4oz butter 4oz sugar 1 egg 8 oz flour 1 teaspoon baking powder i teaspoon salt 1 level cup icing sugar 2oz vegetable shortening 1 heaped cup skim milk powder 3 tablespoons cocoa 1 small cup rice bubbles

Method: Cream butter and sugar well then add egg and continue beating until light. Sift flour with baking powder and salt and add to form a shortcake dough. . Press this into greased tin and bake at 350 for 20-25 minutes. Melt vegetable shortening until only warm and pour over the icing sugar. Add milk powder and cocoa mixing well, then add the rice bubbles. If too dry more vegetable shortening can be added. Pour on top of shortcake while still warm and leave to set. Cut into bars. CARAMEL BARS Caramel Bars have a shortcake base and a caramel meringue topping. You will need: 3oz butter loz sugar 1 egg 1 cup flour 1 teaspoon baking powder Salt } tin sweetened condensed milk

1 tablespoon golden i syrup 1 cup sugar 2 tablespoons butter 2 egg whites 1 teaspoon vanilla. Method: Cream butter with the one oz of sugar, add egg and beat until light. Add flour sifted with baking powder and salt. Press into oblong tin and bake at 350 for 10 minutes, or until set. Combine condensed milk, syrup, sugar, butter, egg yolks and vanilla in small saucepan and heat but do not allow to boil. Mix well and pour over the hot shortcake. Beat egg whites until stiff, add 4 tablespoons sugar which should be lightly folded in. Spread this meringue over the caramel and return to oven and cook at 275 - 300 for 45 minutes, to 1 hour. Cut when cold. SPICED PRUNE TARTS Spiced Prune Tarts have a cheese pastry base with a filling of cooked prunes, nuts and spices. The combination is something rather special. The number of tarts from this recipe depends on the size of the patty tins used for the base. You will need:— 4oz cream cheese 2oz butter loz sugar 6oz self-raising flour Salt 11b chopped stoned prunes i cup sugar 1 dessertspoon lemon juice 4 teaspoon cinnamon 2 tablespoons chopped walnuts 2 tablespoons water

Method: Combine cream cheese, butter and sugar and beat until smooth. Sift flour with salt and add, blending well. Place a spoonful of this dought into greased patty tins and with floured fingers press evenly over base and sides. Prick with a fork before baking at 350 for 15-20 minutes. Remove carefully from tins to cool. Place prunes, lemon juice,

sugar, cinnamon and water! in saucepan and cook, stirring occasionally, over low heat until soft and mushy; cool. Fill the cooled cases and sprinkle with nuts.

TOFFEE CRUNCH SQUARES Toffee Crunch Squares have a chocolate and coconut flavour. The crunch comes from nuts and breakfast cereal which can be bran, rice or cornflakes. You will need: — 1 cup sifted flour 1 teaspoon salt 1 cup bran cereal or cornflakes or rice cereal J cup butter ■S cup brown sugar 1 cup white sugar 2 eggs 1 teaspoon vanilla 6 oz semi-sweet chocolate One-third cup chopped walnuts One-third cup shredded coconut.

Method: Sift flour with salt and combine with the cereal. Beat butter with both sugars until light and fluffy. Add eggs and vanilla and beat well. Stir in flour. Spread in a well-greased shallow pan about 9x9 and bake at 350 for 30 minutes. Cool. Melt chocolate over hot water (not boiling) and spread over cooled base. While still moist, sprinkle nuts over half the chocolate and the coconut over remaining half. Cut into squares when topping is set. PEANUT CRUNCH Peanut Crunch is so popular in most families that I have looked up two recipes for it. They are similar but not quite the same. You will need: 1 cup peanuts 5 oz butter 4 cup sugar 1 dessertspoon golden syrup 1 cup rice bubbles 1 cup flour Salt Chocolate Icing

Method: Roast peanuts in slow oven for about 10-15 minutes, rub off skins and put through mincer. Melt butter with sugar and golden syrup and add to nuts then acid rice bubbles and flour sifted with salt. Blend well and press into greased shallow tin. Bake at 350 for about 20 minutes. Ice with chocolate icing when cold, and cut into squares or fingers.

PEANUT CRUNCH You will need:— 4 oz butter 3 oz sugar 1 dessertspoon golden syrup 4 cup flour I cup rolled oats 3 cup dessicated coconut 1 cup minced peanuts 1 teaspoon baking powder Method: Melt butter with sugar and syrup. Add flour sifted with baking powder, rolled oats, coconut and then peanuts. Blend well and press into shallow tin and bake at 400 for about 30 minutes. When cool ice with lemon flavoured water icing and sprinkle with additional nuts or coconut. BUMBLE BURRS Bumble Burr’s are made from a dried fruit mixture with a half walnut on top. They should be hard on the outside and soft inside. You will need: — 1 cup dates and raisins, mixed and minced I cup dried figs, minced I cup coconut i cup chopped walnuts J cup preserved ginger I tin sweetened condensed milk Vanilla essence Method: Combine all ingredients and blend very well, using a little more condensed milk if necessary. Take small quantity of mixture and roll into balls and roll in additional coconut. Press a half walnut into top of each and place on greased tray. Bake in very slow over (200-250) for about 15 minutes.