Tuesday 2 October 2012

Ta-dah! Tuesday - Mocha Squares Recipe [aka How to celebrate weight loss]

Hello, and happy Tuesday! What better way is there to celebrate seeing a pleasing weight on the scales than by baking, eh?



Anyway - Mocha Squares. I LOVE these, and have since I was a little girl. I always requested them for my birthday parties and my mum would always oblige. October is my birthday month and it appears the craving for the chocolate oaty base with sweet coffee icing hasn't lessened over time! I just need to reign in the urge to eat four in one go, I have made could make myself very sick on these. The recipe is also a winner as it's quick easy and low on elbow grease required.

I'm afraid I've only ever had imperial measurements, so if you're a modern gal you'll have to use an old scales  or use a conversion chart to get the metric amounts. As Mr FHCS is away again on business I used my smaller tin, but usually I add half again to the measurements. I will put the bigger batch amounts in brackets.

Mocha Squares
For the base
6oz (8oz) margarine or butter (I use hard cooking marg)
6oz (8oz) white sugar
6oz (8oz) self raising flour
3 3/4 oz (5oz) porridge oats
1 1/2 oz (2oz) cocoa powder

For the icing
1 1/2oz (2oz) marg/butter
3/4 tablespoon (1 tblsp) coffee essence. [measure out the right amount of instant coffee in the spoon. Add boiling water to the same level so it dissolves in the spoon]
6oz (8oz) icing/powdered sugar

This batch is made in a shallow square tin measuring 6.5 x 6.5 inches approx. The larger batch is made in a shallow rectangular tin which is 7 x 11 inches.

Method
  • pre-heat the oven to 180c
  • In a saucepan, gently melt the margarine. Stir in the sugar, then sieve in the flour and cocoa powder. Finally add the oats and stir with a wooden spoon until everything is incorporated.

  • Grease and flour your tin, then squish the mixture in and firmly level it with the back of a spoon.
  • Put in your preheated oven for 15 minutes exactly. You want it cooked, but without the edges catching or going crispy.
  • Cool in the tin on a wire rack.


When cool, make the icing in a clean saucepan.
  • Melt the margarine/butter. Turn the heat off.
  • Add the coffee essence.
  • Sift in the icing sugar.
  • You should find that with a stir, the icing comes together in a ball, as if you were making a roux.
  • Ice the base whilst it's still in the tin. I generally just splodge the icing into the middle and spread it out to the edges from there using a palette knife. If you have problems, dip the blade of the knife into just boiled water and it should spread smoothly.
  • Make a pattern in the icing with the tines of a fork.


  • You should be able to turn the whole thing out with the help of a fish-slice, but otherwise, cut into squares in the tin.
  • Don't blame me when the scales start creeping up again.
So, what's new this week? I have been a little better about visiting everyone lately, but please do feel free to link up even if I've seen your post. Take a look at a few other submissions while you're at it. Someone suggested that from now on I feature a particular post the following week - what do you reckon? I don't want to create a popularity contest or anything but I always appreciate it whenever someone links to a post of mine and potential new readers see it.

Lakota x

PS. I've also had enquiries about the Chr***mas swap. I don't mind organising it if people are are still interested. Let me know...

41 comments:

  1. haha, what a nice way to celebrate weight-loss ;) looks so yummy! xx

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  2. Looks pretty yummy! It's always pleasing to see a lower number on the scales, or my case the Wii. Well done xxx

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  3. Oh, I'm going to copy that recipe!
    Liz @ Shortbread & Ginger

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  4. A fine way to celebrate weight loss. Congratulations btw. Now all we need is to see some nice pics of you xxx

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  5. Ooh they look good! I'd like to do a christmas swap! Count me in!

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  6. Ooh those little squares look scrummy! Do they aid weight loss too?
    Victoria xx

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  7. These look right up my street, relatively easy to make with store cupboard ingredients. Mmmm.

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  8. These look super tasty and the added caffeine in that frosting- brilliant, it just became breakfast food:)

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  9. Well done on the weight loss! Even as a non-sweet tooth I think they look rather delicious, the oats do it for me!
    Don't mention the C word!!! xxxxx

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  10. Congratulations on the weight-loss; what a delicious way to celebrate! I'm definitely going to bake some of those, but not until I've recovered from this weekend's nine hour baking marathon (I've linked to it - #7)

    Katie xx

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  11. Ooh, these look good! Think I might be trying them out, we have another jumble coming up at school and the cafe will need supplies. And I ought to road test the recipe first, right?!

    I've linked again - get me, finally getting my act together!
    The C word sends a little shiver, but I'm in if you do another swap.
    xxxx

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  12. I don't like coffee flavoured things but my best friend will LOVE these! x

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  13. I am practically licking my monitor!! They look DEISH!!

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  14. Now I want to loose some weight to bake a huge pile of these delicious squares (coffee is one of my favourite flavour!)in fact I usually avoid baking because I can't resist!
    I'm interested in the swap, how does it works?And where should I read all the informations?
    Lovexxxx

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  15. *MmMm* Those look absolutely delicious!
    I am just IMAGINING THE TASTE RIGHT NOW..... *lol*

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  16. Mmm,they look nice. And not to difficult for a rubbish at baking half-wit to muster - I'm hoping. xx

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  17. oh nooo...im so drooling looking at those yummy cakes! thanks for sharing the recipe, would love to try and make some! i love the chalkboard mat you got there! i would love to join the swap if you do organize it! xx susan

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  18. Yummy those look and sound delicious im glad to see some one else using oz it drives me batty when i see modern measurements i have good old scales ;-)) Enjoy them well one of them ;-)) dee x

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  19. We had a Macmillan coffee morning at school last fri, lots of opportunity to make and sample new cakes; this would have one down a treat! I made a marmalade cake, and choc/banana squares. Please count me in for the swap, I made blogfriends with the lovely MamaSyder last Christmas, and the delightful Shazonnie for the Jubilee one!

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  20. Oh yes! thanks for the recipe. Another one to add to my list.
    Love from Mum
    xx

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  21. Tehehe! I celebrated hitting my half way weight loss target by eating naughties on my holiday xx It is good to reward yourself and even better when low cal too.

    I love the idea of a Christmas Swap.. Ive never taken part before so it would be super exciting.

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  22. You make me laugh! I actually dislike coffee and coffee flavoured things but I can appreciate how beautiful these look- if I pretend in my head that they are chocolate with normal buttercream on top, I am drooling!! Yay, Christmas swap- yes please!!!!!!

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  23. Can't believe it! A traybake I haven't tried. Will have to rectify this asap :) They look so delicious.

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  24. Looks pretty delicious to make, and I'll pin this to my inspiration board for all to see! I backed with lavender over the w/e it was so good! Do try it if you like lavender. Happy October! -xx /Madison

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  25. I definitely have to make these, thirty look siodelicious I can feel my cholesterol increasing just looking at them. When can I come round and have my hello kitty nails done please? Xx

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  26. It's that gorgeous Homemaker crockery I've got my eye on!

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  27. I'm also admiring the Homemaker dishware.
    Not a fan of coffee flavor, but if you've got a date slice recipe...
    I do love oaty English baked things.
    Sign me up for the Christmas swap. I haven't done one before.

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  28. Oh wow - this looks INCREDIBLE! I do love to bake, but I've kind of banned myself from baking unless I've been invited to someones house and need to take some food along. Otherwise I end up eating all the baking myself (well Rich does help). I do love the idea of a Christmas swap xoxo

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  29. Those look just too delish! Yummy :)
    The Mocha and Coffee combo sounds just heavenly!

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  30. i have just started my diet, so no tempting me! x

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  31. hi my dear-what can I say, these look delicious and soo scrummy, I will try and make these soon! hope you're good, have a great week xx

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  32. Thanks for inviting me to link up :) I am now off to see some other people's ta-dahs x

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  33. I love mocha and I love squares. However, I hate baking and I hate baking. So I need to find a few boyfriends to make these (gluten free) for me because I know I am gonne LOOOOOOVE them. Mmmmmm, delicious, sweet baked treats, made by someone else....

    And I say YES to the xmas thing because I want free shit. Duh.

    Sarah xxx

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  34. Oh they look very bloody yummy woman, what are you doing to me?! i'm already addicted to stuffed mushrooms you know!!

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  35. Those squares look amazing! We've had quite a bake-y week over here too. I've eaten an awful lot of Tiffin.

    Nikki x

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  36. what a coincidence - made something very similar this week, but had to be physically restrained from just linking all the coffee icing off the top of the base - so so good.

    Loved the mobile phone reinterpretation of classic literature too - wonder if it would cope better with lyrics or poetry ?!?

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  37. Yum these look ace - I've always liked coffee flavoured things (even those ones in the Revels packet that everyone else seems to hate).

    My birthday is this month too and my mum always used to make flapjack (if only she'd had your recipe Lakota!!!).

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  38. Oh! Oh! Yes please! I would love to do a Christmas swap. I had such fun with the Jubilee swap & have made friends with the lovely Pauleen. So can I join in, please.

    And while I'm not a great coffee flavour things fan, I think I light make an exceptuion for those mocha squares. They look stunningly deliciously not good for my diet!

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  39. Used to love these as a kid. Been looking for the recipe for ages (my mum lost the recipe).
    Made these last night and they are as I remember. Thanks!

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