Cherry Mash Squares Recipe
Often Thought to Be a Holiday Treat, These Squares Are Good Anytime
For those who have a real sweet tooth and a strong taste for both chocolate and cherry, here is a recipe that should satisfy the strongest addict.
One of the joys of growing up in America’s Midwest during the period from 1920 onward was that its residents were treated to a tasty confection unknown for many years to the rest of the country.
Cherry Mash® and Twin Bing® History
In 1876, Doctor George Washington Chase of St. Joseph, Missouri, gave up his low paying medical practice to start a fruit and produce business. On the suggestion of his teen-age son, he hired two confectioners to add another dimension to his venture. Their resultant chocolate delights became so popular that Chase’s new enterprise soon became solely devoted to candy making.
During World War I, the Chase Candy Company introduced a new candy bar to its customers. First known as the Cherry Chase and then the Cherry Chaser, it would in a few years become known as the Cherry Mash®. The candy consisted of a quarter pound mound of a creamy cherry fondant covered with a chocolate and peanut coating and was packaged in an attractive red wrap.
Less than a decade later, Chase's main rival, the Palmer Candy Company of Sioux City, Iowa, developed its own version of the candy, the Twin Bing®. Together the two are still the best selling cherry candy bars in the country and have become the inspiration for several cookie square recipes. Here is one of the various recipes and some possible variations on it.
Cookie Layer
- 2 cups granulated sugar
- 2/3 cup evaporated milk
- Dash of salt
- 12 large marshmallows
- 1/2 cup butter or margarine
- 6 oz. cherry chips
- 2 teaspoons vanilla extract
Combine sugar, milk, salt, marshmallows and margarine in saucepan. Bring the mixture to a boil for five to six minutes.
Remove from heat, add cherry chips and vanilla.
Pour into a buttered 9x13 inch pan. Refrigerate for two hours.
Topping layer
- 2 tablespoons butter or margarine
- 12 oz. package semisweet chocolate chips
- 3/4 cup peanut butter
- 1 cup crushed peanuts
Melt chocolate chips and margarine in double boiler. Simmer until melted. Remove from heat and add peanut butter and peanuts. Spread over cherry layer. Chill until firm and then cut into 1-inch squares.
Variations
Although most recipes for cherry mash cookies are similar, there are a few variations.
- Use 10 to 12 oz of cherry chips rather than six
- Use 1 teaspoon of vanilla abstract rather than 2
- Use crunchy peanut butter instead of peanuts
- Forego the peanuts entirely
If you enjoy this very, very sweet treat, you may like the recipes for cherry mash cookies and cherry mash cake that can be found on Chase’s website.
