Nanaimo Squares

These are probably our most favorite cookies. I usually only make them at Christmas time.
NANAIMO SQUARES

BOTTOM LAYER:
1/2 cup butter
1/4 cup sugar
5 Tbsp cocoa powder
3/4 cup coconut
1 egg (beaten)
1 3/4 cup graham wafer crumbs
1/2 cup walnuts (optional)

Melt butter in saucepan. Mix in cocoa and sugar. Add egg and stir until egg is cooked and mixture has thickened. Remove from heat and stir in remaining ingredients. Press firmly into ungreased 9x9 pan. I usually like the pan with foil wrap to make them easier to remove from the pan. Set in refrigerator to cool.

MIDDLE LAYER:
1/2 cup butter
3 Tbsp milk
2 Tbsp vanilla custard powder
2 cups icing sugar

Mix and beat until light. Spread over cooled bottom layer.

TOP LAYER:
4 semisweet chocolate squares
2 Tbsp butter

Melt and let cool slightly. Spoon over middle layer. Chill

The best way to cut these squares with cracking the chocolate layer is to first run a knife around the edges of the pan. Turn out unto cutting board. Heat a big knife with hot water, then cut into squares. The heat from the knife should slice the chocolate nicely.

Ginger Sparkles

GINGER SPARKLES

3/4 cup shortening
1 cup white sugar
1 egg
1/4 cup molasses
2 cups flour
1 TBSP ginger
2 tsp baking soda
1 tsp cinnamon
1/2 tsp salt

Cream shortening and sugar. Add egg and beat well. Add molasses. Sift together flour, ginger, baking soda, cinnamon and salt. Fold into the creamed mixture. You may have to use your hands to blend this.

Roll cookies dough into 1-inch balls, then roll into additional white sugar. Place on cookie sheet and bake at 350 deg for 10-12 minutes.

NOTE: they will look like they're not cooked, but they're done! They'll finish cooking on the pan when you take them out.

Enjoy alone or with a nice cup of tea :-)

Cherry Cake

Cherry Cake

1/2 lb butter (1 cup)
1 cup sugar
3 eggs
1/2 cup warm milk
3 cups flour
1 1/2 tsp baking powder
1 tsp vanilla extract
1 tsp almond extract
1 bottle cherries

Cut cherries into quarters (keep the liquid syrup!) Cream together the butter, sugar and eggs. Add the vanilla and almond extracts. Saute the cherries in 1/2 cup of additional flour. Add the juice from the cherries and make up 1 cup with the milk.

Add the dry ingredients alternately with the milk mixture to the creamed mixture. Add the cherries and stir in by hand.

Bake in greased and floured tube pan -- 1 1/2 hours at 275 degrees. Remove from oven and set on wire rack for 5 minutes before removing from pan.

This cake freezes well and makes a great gift :-)