Queen Anne Squares

 

It won't be very long now before the Coronation of King Charles. Many people all over the world will be taking the opportunity to celebrate the occasion in one way or another. 

It could be by having a street party, a special breakfast a luncheon or a tea party. Personally I opt for a tea party!  I thought it would be fun today to share a teatime treat that you might enjoy serving.  The very Royal,  Queen Anne Squares.

 

Here in the Maritimes these lovely squares are usually served at Christmas time as part of a Christmas Dainty plate.  A Dainty Plate is something you would have seen at wedding and baby showers many years ago. 

They were plates composed of a variety of sweet cookies and squares. All cut into bite size and meant to be enjoyed with finger sandwiches and copious amounts of hot tea.

Whether you are a Royalist or not, this is going to be a very historic occasion, and not one that many people will get to enjoy more than once in their lifetime.  It deserves to be marked in some way.

 

Queen Anne Squares are a wonderful sweet treat deserving of being served on such an auspicious occasion.  With their brownie type of base, sweet coconut macaroon filling and chocolate buttercream frosting, they always go down a real treat.

They are very sweet  so they should be cut into small 1-inch squares.  You might be forgiven  for eating two of them however, as they really are that delicious.

This recipe I am sharing with you has been adapted by one found on Lord Byron's Kitchen.

 

I took the opportunity on this day to serve these delicious squares on my Grandmother's Woodworth's wedding plate.  It was given to her and her husband on the occasion of their wedding in August of 1928.

It was a gift from her last sister Adelaide and her husband Ralph (Connell).  I am so grateful to have this plate.  It holds a lot of meaning for me.  I am the only one of my siblings who actually remembers our grandparents.

My Grandmother actually took care of me for a while when I was a baby. As a new mother and a very nervous mother my mother practically had a nervous breakdown when I was an infant.  I guess I cried constantly.

 

My father came home from work one day just in time to catch my mother getting ready to shake the Dicken's out of me. He was able to grab me away from her and then decided that they would take me to my grandmother's to live for a while, so that my mother could get a rest and maybe my grandmother could calm me down some.

I would live with my grandmother until my mother got ready to move to Germany when my father was posted there with the Canadian military about a year later.

Hence the close bond I had with my grandmother and indeed  my mother's youngest sister,  Freda, who was always like a sister to me.

Long story short, special treats deserve special plates!  I also dragged out some of my Beatrix Potter figures that were a gift from a much beloved friend, as well as my tea cozy which was a gift from another friend, and a small Beatrix Potter book my sister gave to me.

 

WHAT YOU NEED TO MAKE QUEEN ANNE SQUARES

Simple baking cupboard ingredients. There is nothing too out of the ordinary here. I think it is so magical that you can put these simple things together and come up with something so delicious! 

For the brownie bottom:

• 2/3 cup (151.5g) butter, melted and cooled
• 2/3 cup (145g) soft light brown sugar, lightly packed
• 1 cup (140g) all purpose plain flour
• 4 TBS (28g) unsweetened cocoa powder (not drink mix)
• 1 tsp vanilla extract
• 1 large free range egg

For the macaroon filling:

• 14 ounces (397g) sweetened condensed milk
• 2 cups (152g) sweetened flaked coconut
• 1 tsp vanilla extract

For the frosting:

• 2 cups (260g) icing sugar, sifted
• 3 TBS (20g) unsweetened cocoa powder (not drink mix)
• 1 tsp vanilla
• 3 TBS (46g) whole milk
• 1/4 cup (57g) butter, softened
• desiccated coconut to decorate (optional)

 

Make sure all of your ingredients are at room temperature before you begin. I always take them out about half an hour prior to beginning. Its just something I've always done.

Make sure you use sweetened condensed milk and by that I mean milk which has been heated with sugar and reduced to a thick and creamy sweet product. I do not mean evaporated milk.

The most popular brands are Nestles, Carnation and Eagle Brand.

Also do not use chocolate drinking mix.  You need to use baking cocoa powder. They are not the same thing. The drink mix has been mixed with milk and sugar. Cocoa powder is just dried and powdered cocoa beans and is not sweet at all.

 

 

HOW TO MAKE QUEEN ANNE SQUARES

These are very simple to make. Just follow the instructions to the letter and you won't have any problems.

Preheat the oven to 350*F/180*C/ gas mark 4. Butter an 8-inch square baking tin and line it with some baking parchment, making sure you have an overhang to lift the squares out with after. Set aside.

To make the brownie bottom, stir together the melted butter, brown sugar, vanilla and egg until well combined.

Sift in the cocoa powder and flour, Stir until well amalgamated.

Pour into the prepared baking tin, smoothing it over evenly.

To make the macaroon filling, stir the vanilla into the sweetened condensed milk to combine and then stir in the coconut, mixing everything thoroughly.

Spoon the mixture over the brownie mixture, taking care to keep the mixtures separate. (The best way to do this is to make small tablespoon sized dollops all over the base and then gently smooth it out with a palate knife.)

Bake in the preheated oven for 30 minutes. Remove from the oven and leave to cool in the pan completely.

Using an electric hand whisk beat all of the icing ingredients together until well combined. Spread evenly over the coconut layer. If desired you can sprinkle a bit of desiccated coconut over top to decorate.

Place in the refrigerator to chill for at least one hour before lifting out of the pan using the parchment paper. Cut into squares with a sharp knife. Store covered in the refrigerator.

 

These really are delicious, but as I said they are very sweet.  A little bit does go a long way.

Every bite delights with a bit of brownie, macaroon and that sweet icing mingling together in your mouth. I would not add anything else to these, they are perfect as they are.

The brownie base has a tendency to want to stick in the pan a bit so do make sure they are well chilled before you cut and remove them. 

Some other sweet squares and bites on here that are worthy of a King's celebration are:

GINGER CRUNCHIES -  With a spicy ginger shortbread base topped with a sweet ginger glaze and candied ginger garnish these are a real treat for the ginger lover!  Crisp, buttery and short. These are fabulously tasty! 

PEPPERMINT PETTICOAT TAILS -  A large shortbread round, marked into wedges prior to baking and broken into crisp wedges when done. Lightly flavored with peppermint, buttery, short,  and coated with sugar, these are the ultimate teatime treat!

Yield: makes 16 squares

Author: Marie Rayner

Queen Anne Squares

Prep time: 28 MinCook time: 30 MinInactive time: 1 HourTotal time: 1 H & 58 M

Normally a Christmas thing these delicious squares would be fabulous served as part of a Coronation Tea Party menu! Brownie bottoms, coconut macaroon middles and a creamy chocolate frosting.

Ingredients

For the brownie bottom:

• 2/3 cup (151.5g) butter, melted and cooled
• 2/3 cup (145g) soft light brown sugar, lightly packed
• 1 cup (140g) all purpose plain flour
• 4 TBS (28g) unsweetened cocoa powder (not drink mix)
• 1 tsp vanilla extract
• 1 large free range egg

For the macaroon filling

• 14 ounces (397g) sweetened condensed milk
• 2 cups (152g) sweetened flaked coconut
• 1 tsp vanilla extract

For the frosting:

• 2 cups (260g) icing sugar, sifted
• 3 TBS (20g) unsweetened cocoa powder (not drink mix)
• 1 tsp vanilla
• 3 TBS (46g) whole milk
• 1/4 cup (57g) butter, softened
• desiccated coconut to decorate (optional)

Instructions

1. Preheat the oven to 350*F/180*C/ gas mark 4. Butter an 8-inch square baking tin and line it with some baking parchment, making sure you have an overhang to lift the squares out with after. Set aside.
2. To make the brownie bottom, stir together the melted butter, brown sugar, vanilla and egg until well combined.
3. Sift in the cocoa powder and flour, Stir until well amalgamated.
4. Pour into the prepared baking tin, smoothing it over evenly.
5. To make the macaroon filling, stir the vanilla into the sweetened condensed milk to combine and then stir in the coconut, mixing everything thoroughly.
6. Spoon the mixture over the brownie mixture, taking care to keep the mixtures separate. (The best way to do this is to make small tablespoon sized dollops all over the base and then gently smooth it out with a palate knife.)
7. Bake in the preheated oven for 30 minutes. Remove from the oven and leave to cool in the pan completely.
8. Using an electric hand whisk beat all of the icing ingredients together until well combined. Spread evenly over the coconut layer. If desired you can sprinkle a bit of desiccated coconut over top to decorate.
9. Place in the refrigerator to chill for at least one hour before lifting out of the pan using the parchment paper. Cut into squares with a sharp knife.
10. Store covered in the refrigerator.

Did you make this recipe?

Tag @marierayner5530 on instagram and hashtag it # marierayner5530

 

This content (written and photography) 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 

Thanks so much for visiting! Do come again! 

 Follow me on Bloglovin