J.R. Johnson

More history, today. And photography. This is my grandmother on the Swedish-ish side. She was ten or twelve* at the time, and much more agile than when I knew her.

This is also me experimenting with photo restoration techniques.

Grandma Dorothea was sweet, literally and figuratively. She did many things well (gardening, bridge, surviving the Great Depression with her sense of humor intact, making grandchildren happy), but above all, she baked. I can still recall the flash of joy on seeing pound cake in her kitchen. Her chocolate mint squares are decadent, melt-in-your-mouth bites of chocolate cake, creamy mint, and dark chocolate glaze.

She wasn’t much of a cook, but (despite the very cryptic notes left on her 3″x5″ recipe cards) she was one hell of a baker.

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Grandma’s Chocolate Mint Squares

Cake Layer

• 1 cup sugar                  
• ½ cup melted butter
• 1 tsp. vanilla
• 1 can chocolate syrup (16 oz)
• 4 eggs beaten              
• 1 cup flour                  
• ½ tsp. salt

1.     Mix and bake in 9”x13” greased and floured pan for 30-35 minutes at 350°F.

Mint Layer

• 2 cups powdered sugar
• 3 Tbs. Crème de Menthe
• ½ cup melted butter

2.     Mix and spread on the cool cake. Chill briefly to set.

Glaze

• 6 oz. chocolate chips
• 6 Tbs. butter

3.     Melt over low heat. Cool a bit and spread over mint layer.

4.     Chill until chocolate sets and cut into small(ish) squares.

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* Inquiring minds want to know: at what age does one stop being a whippersnapper?