Best Chocolate Ginger Refrigerator Squares Recipes

CHOCOLATE GINGERBREAD SQUARES

Steps:

• Preheat the oven to 350 degrees F. Butter a 9-by-13-inch baking dish, line the bottom with parchment paper and butter the parchment. Dust with flour and tap out any excess. Whisk the flour, cocoa powder, gingerbread spice and salt in a medium bowl. Beat 1 stick butter and the brown sugar in a large bowl with a mixer on low speed until incorporated, then increase the speed to medium and beat until fluffy, about 5 minutes. Add the whole egg and egg yolks and beat 1 minute. Reduce the mixer speed to low and add the flour mixture in two batches, alternating with the water. Beat until just smooth, being careful not to overbeat (the batter may look curdled).
• Spread the batter in the prepared pan. Bake until the cake springs back when pressed, 25 to 35 minutes. Let cool 5 minutes in the pan, then turn out onto a rack, remove the parchment and let cool completely.
• Beat the remaining 4 tablespoons butter and the ginger jam in a large bowl with a mixer on medium-high speed until pale, about 1 minute. Gradually beat in the confectioners' sugar until light and fluffy, about 2 minutes.
• Carefully cut the cake in half crosswise with a serrated knife and spread one half with the ginger filling. Top with the other cake layer and cut lengthwise, then crosswise into 6 equal rows, making small cubes. Freeze the cubes until firm, about 1 hour.
• Melt the chocolate and shortening in a heatproof bowl set over a saucepan of simmering water (do not let the bowl touch the water), about 5 minutes. Remove the bowl from the pan. Hold each cake square over the bowl on a fork and spoon chocolate over the top until evenly covered. Let the excess drip off, then transfer to a rack set on a baking sheet. Top with crystallized ginger. Let set, about 2 hours at room temperature or 30 minutes in the refrigerator; before completely set, loosen with a spatula.

CHOCOLATE GINGERBREAD BARS

Steps:

• Preheat oven to 350 degrees. Butter an 8-inch square baking pan. Line bottom with a strip of parchment paper, leaving an overhang on two sides; butter paper. Dust paper and sides of pan with cocoa; set aside. In a medium bowl, whisk together cocoa, flour, ginger, pumpkin-pie spice, and baking soda; set aside.
• In a large bowl, whisk together butter, brown sugar, molasses, egg, and sour cream until smooth. Add flour mixture; stir just until moistened (do not overmix). Stir in chocolate chips. Transfer batter to prepared pan; smooth top.
• Bake until a toothpick inserted in center comes out clean, 30 to 35 minutes. Transfer to a wire rack; let cool completely. Using paper overhang, lift gingerbread from pan. Transfer to a cutting board, and cut into 16 squares. Before serving, dust bars with confectioners sugar, if desired.

DARK CHOCOLATE, GINGER & PISTACHIO SQUARES

Steps:

• Oil a 20 x 20cm brownie tin and line with baking parchment. Tip the gingernuts into a food processor and blitz to crumbs. Melt the coconut oil in a small pan over a low heat or in a heatproof bowl in the microwave, then pour this over the crumbs and pulse to combine. Tip the mix into the prepared tin, press into an even layer and chill until needed.
• Meanwhile, put the chocolate in a heatproof bowl with 1 tbsp coconut oil and the ginger syrup. Slowly pour 150ml boiling water from the kettle into the chocolate mixture, whisking all the time until you have a smooth ganache. (If you haven't chopped the chocolate small enough and a few lumps remain, simply zap in the microwave for 10 seconds until smooth.) Stir in a large pinch of salt.
• Pour the ganache over the biscuit base and scatter with the stem ginger pieces, pistachios and a sprinkle of salt. Chill for at least 4 hrs until set, then cut into 25 bite-sized squares. Can be made up to three days in advance and kept covered in the fridge. Bring out of the fridge 20 mins before serving to soften up a little.