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Have
you ever wondered why
"Bars and Squares" are officially categorized as a 'Cookie'
and not as a 'Cake'? The experts must have done this
because of its batter as it is dense and cookie-like in
texture. The other thing they have in common is that
'cookies' and 'bars and squares' are casual desserts; the
type you take to bake sales, picnics, potlucks, and other
community events. But that seems to be where their
similarities end. For unlike cookies where the batter is
dropped in mounds on a baking sheet, or formed into
individual balls, or even rolled out and cut into pretty
shapes, a batter for squares is
simply spread into a pan. It is only after baking that they
are cut into individual portions. This is where it seems
more like a cake, although we cannot deny that a bar is much
thinner than a slice of cake and often not as pretty to look
at.
The range of
Bars and Squares is vast but basically we can divide them
into two types; the 'one step' and the 'two step'. The
'one step'
is when there is only one layer to the bar, a good
example being the Brownie. The 'two step' is when there is more than
one layer; often that means a 'crust' and a 'filling'; for
example Lemon Bars and Nanaimo Bars.
Probably the most famous 'bar and square' is the Brownie, which
began its life in a Sears, Roebuck and Co. catalog over 100
years ago (1897). Brownies were so named because of their
dark brown color, not because they contain chocolate. In
fact, the first brownie recipes didn't even have
chocolate in them. continued below
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Continued from above.
There are a
few things to keep in mind when making squares. Always
use the size of pan called for in the recipe. If you use a
different sized pan you will have to adjust the baking time
otherwise the texture of the bar will be affected. It is
important to prepare your pan as stated in the
recipe. There is nothing worse than making a beautiful pan
of squares only to find you can't get them out of the pan.
The best way to prepare the pan is to line it with aluminum
foil. The foil will need to be long enough that there is
some overhang on two opposite sides
of the pan, to use as handles so you can remove the bars from
the pan after baking. So, to do this, you first need to turn
your pan
upside down. Then, take a piece of foil and center it, shiny side down,
over the pan. Smooth the foil over the sides and corners to
shape the foil to fit the pan. Once you have done that,
remove the foil, turn the pan right side up, and place the
shaped foil in the pan.
After baking
and cooling the squares, remove them from the pan by lifting
the edges of the foil. Place on a cutting board and, using a
sharp knife, cut into squares. But before I do this I like
to trim the hard outside
edges first so that every square looks the same as the next. The trick to getting a nice clean cut for each
square is to wipe your knife between cuts, so have a damp
cloth nearby. To make sure every square is the same size, use a ruler to mark into
equal sized
pieces.
If you need to transport the bars, store them
between layers of parchment or wax paper in an airtight
container..
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