Easy-to-bake treats can help make summer sweeter

By Betty Ann Deobald

Summer is the time for family gatherings and celebrations. We recently attended a 50th anniversary garden party where a nice variety of slices were served. The sweet treats, cut into small two-to-three bite sizes, are easy to make ahead, freeze and travel well. I recently enjoyed making these personal favourites.

This is a quick and easy chocolate and caramel version of Rice Krispie cake, a new family favourite.

Yield: 24 bars

2/3 c. butter 150 mL

6 Mars Bars (52 g size) *

4 c. Rice Krispies cereal 1 L

Top layer

1/3 c. butter 75 mL

1 1/4 c. milk chocolate

chips 310 mL **

*Note: If your older version of this recipe is not working like it used to, it may be because the Mars Bars are now smaller.

**Note: Semisweet or dark chocolate chips could be used.

Lightly grease a 9 x 9-inch (22 x 22 cm) baking pan and line with parchment paper.

Chop Mars Bars into small pieces.

Measure Rice Krispies and set aside.

In a two-litre sized saucepan over low heat, melt butter.

Add Mars Bars and stir constantly until fully melted and smoothly incorporated into butter.

Remove from heat and quickly stir in cereal.

Press evenly into bottom of prepared pan, using back of a spoon. Chill one hour before adding topping.

Chocolate topping

Melt butter over low heat. Add chocolate chips, stirring constantly until chocolate is completely melted. Pour evenly over base and let set until firm, before cutting into squares or bars.

Store in airtight container. Freeze for up to three months.

Adapted from rockrecipes.com

I love butter tarts, but this slice is so much easier to make and travels better.

Yield: 36 squares

Base

2 1/4 c. all-purpose flour 560 mL

1/2 c. icing sugar 125 mL

1 c. butter 250 mL

Topping

1/4 c. butter, melted and cooled 60 mL

4 large eggs, lightly beaten

2 c. packed brown

sugar 500 mL

1/4 c. flour 60 mL

1/4 c. corn syrup 60 mL

1 tsp. baking powder 5 mL

1 tsp. vanilla 5 mL

1/4 tsp. salt 1 mL

1 tbsp. vinegar 15 mL

2 c. golden raisins 500 mL *

1 c. pecans,

chopped 250 mL *

*Walnuts, pecans, raisins, currants or a combination can be used or leave plain for a syrup filling.

Preheat oven to 350 F (180 C). Line a 9 x 13-inch (22 x 33 cm) pan with parchment paper, leaving an overhang around edges.

Combine flour and sugar in a large bowl. Use knives or a pastry blender to cut in butter to make a crumbly mixture. Press firmly into pan, going slightly up sides of pan. Bake for 15-20 minutes until just slightly golden. Remove from oven.

For topping, stir together melted and cooled butter and eggs in a large bowl. Add sugar, flour, corn syrup, baking powder, vanilla and salt; stir until combined. Fold in raisins and pecans. Pour over base and bake for an additional 25 minutes, or until top is firm and springs back when touched.

When cool, cover and refrigerate for at least four hours or overnight to completely set. Use parchment paper overhang to lift out slice to cutting board and slice with a large sharp knife. Store in a sealed container in refrigerator or freeze.

Adapted from canadianliving.com

Yields: 24 two-inch squares

This cake has been a family favourite since I was a child. It is a staple when camping or at the cabin. Our son, Michael, and his wife, Leanne, had a three-layer Rice Krispie cake as their wedding cake. More recently our daughter, Katherine used one as a base for a Batman logo for her son’s birthday.

The original recipe has been adapted to give a large cake that is soft and a bit sticky, just the way our family likes it.

1/3 c. butter 75 mL

70 Kraft Original marshmallows, 2-250 g bags *

1/2 tsp. vanilla 2 mL

8 c. Rice Krispies cereal or Brown Rice Gluten Free Rice Krispies 2 L

Grease a 9 x 13-inch (22 x 33 cm) pan.

Put butter in a large pot and count in marshmallows, melt on low heat, stirring frequently. If marshmallows are dry add one or two tablespoons of water.

When melted add vanilla and stir.

Turn off heat, leave pot on burner, add Rice Krispies and stir to mix together. Dump into prepared pan. Using buttered or water dampened hands press down well into pan. Let cool and cut into squares. Store in a sealed container.

*Note: We have found that other brands of marshmallows just don’t make as good a cake. Or use 10 cups miniature marshmallows (2.5 L).

Pan sizes?

I was at the cabin when I was making some of these slices. I only had 7 x 7 and 6 x 4-inch pans.

A quick math calculation proved that a 9 x 9-inch (22 x 22 cm) pan is 72 sq. inches and my 7 x 7 was 49 and the 6 x 4 was 24 sq. inches, totalling 73 sq. inches. Using both smaller pans was a perfect alternative. It was a practical application that I shared with my grandchildren as to why they need to know their multiplication tables.

These bars could also be made using lime juice.

Yield: 36 bars

Base

1 c. cold butter, cut in

small pieces 250 mL

1/2 c. white sugar 125 mL

2 c. all-purpose flour 500 mL

1/4 tsp. baking powder 1 mL

Lemon layer

1 1/2 c. white sugar 375 mL

1/4 c. flour 60 mL

4 eggs

zest of two lemons, finely minced

2/3 c. lemon juice

(2 lemons) 150 mL

Topping

icing sugar

Grease and line with parchment paper a 9 x 13-inch (22 x 33 cm) pan.

Using a pastry blender or a food processor, blend together butter, sugar and flour.

Press evenly into prepared pan.

Bake 20 minutes in 350 F (180 C) oven. *

The bottom should just be beginning to brown slightly at top edges.

Lemon layer

Whisk together sugar, flour, eggs, zest and lemon juice until sugar is dissolved.

Let sit for 10 minutes, whisk together well again and pouring over baked shortbread base.

Bake at 350 F (180 C) for about another 20-25 minutes or until top is slightly browned and custard appears to be set.

Cool completely. Sprinkle with icing sugar when cool.

*Note: If using glass bakeware cook at 325 F (160 C).

Optional:

For a lime version replace lemon juice with zest of four or five small limes, finely minced

2/3 – 3/4 c. lime juice (4-5 small limes) 150 – 175 mL

For a thicker lemon layer use

2 1/4 c. white sugar 560 mL

1/3 c. + 1 tbsp. all-purpose

flour 75 ml + 15 mL

6 eggs

zest of three lemons, finely minced

1 c. lemon juice

(3 lemons) 250 mL

Adapted from rockrecipes.com

These are a classic Canadian treat that originated in Nanaimo, B.C., in the 1950s. There are numerous variations of the recipe; this one is adapted from one of my favourite food writers, Barry C. Parsons of Newfoundland’s rockrecipes.com.

Bottom layer

3/4 c. butter 175 mL

1/3 c. sugar 75 mL

8 tbsp. cocoa 120 mL

2 eggs, beaten

2 1/4 c. graham crumbs 560 mL

3/4 c. fine or medium unsweetened

coconut 175 mL

1/2 c. chopped walnuts, almonds or pecans, toasted * 125 mL

Filling Layer

2 1/4 c. icing sugar 560 mL

1/2 c. custard powder 125 mL

2/3 c. butter, at room temperature 150 mL

1 tsp. vanilla paste or

extract 5 mL

2 tbsp. whipping cream 30 mL

Chocolate layer

1 c. semi-sweet chocolate chips 250 mL **

2 tbsp. butter 30 mL

*Nuts can be omitted when making for a crowd where allergies are a concern.

**For those who prefer dark chocolate or bittersweet chocolate, use four ounces, 115 grams, broken into 1/2-inch (1 1/4-centimeter) pieces.

Line 9 x 9-inch (22 x 22 cm) baking pan with parchment paper, extending paper on two sides.

Melt together butter, sugar and cocoa over low heat. Whisk eggs and add to butter mixture, whisking constantly to fully cook egg to a soft scrambled texture. Remove from heat. Add graham crumbs, coconut and walnuts.

Mix until well combined, press into bottom of prepared pan. Use back of a spoon to evenly press down. Refrigerator to chill until firm, at least 15 minutes.

Filling

With electric mixer, beat together butter, custard powder and icing sugar until it starts to come together. Add vanilla and whipping cream and beat well until smooth, very stiff but spreadable.

It’s much thicker than cake frosting. Add a few drops of whipping cream to bring it to the right consistency if necessary.

Spread evenly over bottom layer. Chill in refrigerator for a couple of hours before adding topping.

Chocolate topping

Melt together chocolate chips and butter over low heat, just until the chocolate is melted. Don’t overheat it.

Spread quickly over chilled filling layer. Return to refrigerator until chocolate sets.

Lift from pan with parchment paper. Cut into squares or bars on a cutting board using a large, sharp knife. Store bars in refrigerator until ready to serve. Bring to room temperature before serving. Store remaining bars in refrigerator or wrap well and freeze.

Betty Ann Deobald is a home economist from Rosetown, Sask., and a member of Team Resources. Contact: team@producer.com.