1950s chocolate squares

I love to bake - enjoying a homemade treat with my afternoon tea is one of my favorite indulgences. I was thumbing through my recipe folder and I came across this 1950s recipe that I decided to give a go. This is actually a depression recipe that doesn't call for any eggs and is also low on sugar. I thought this recipe was so timely as inflation is on the rise all across the world. In my neighborhood eggs have gone up in price at least a few dollars, therefore I have been baking less as I want to save our eggs for breakfast.   

This recipe was originally found in an issue of Woman's World magazine, Jan 12th 1952 - "Cakes for tea present a problem when eggs are scarce, as every mother knows" the page says. "Barbara Fare, our Cookery Expert, gives you more eggless recipes to add variety to your tea-table."  

Here's the recipe: 

Sift together 5 oz of plain flour, 2 level tsp of baking powder, and 3 level tbsp of cocoa. Rub in 1 1/2 oz of margarine (I used butter). Warm together 2 tbsp of golden syrup and 6 tbsp of milk, then pour in the dry ingredients. Beat the mixture till smooth and pour into a greased 10 inch square sandwich or cake tin. Bake at 375 for 15 minutes.

When cool, dip the tops of the squares into the following icing: Melt 1 oz. of margarine. Remove from heat and add 2 tbsp of cocoa 2 tbsp of sugar. Beat in, keeping pan warm over a basin of warm water. Add 1 tbsp of warm water and 1 tsp of vanilla extract. Sprinkle with chopped nuts and allow to set.

When cool, top each square with a dab of buttercream.  

I doubled the recipe and baked my squares in a nonstick brownie pan. They baked surprisingly fast so be sure not to over bake. I would recommend these are best served within three days, as they start to dry out slightly, so store in an airtight container if you have left over.  

I was surprised at how simply delicious these chocolate squares are. Fresh out of the oven, they were moist, rich with a slight bitterness due to the cocoa, and not overly sweet. The chopped nuts give the cakes a satisfying bite and the dollop of buttercream adds the perfect hit of sweetness.

I had my chocolate square with a cup of orange pekoe tea and it was perfect!  

I hope you try this recipe. It was so much fun to bake a little piece of history. 

— TYG