Keeping Warm

What do you do on a really cold, wet Winter's day? Bake of course. There is something warming and comforting about the heat from the oven and the soothing repetitious tasks of measuring, mixing, shaping, rolling and putting things in and out of the oven.

A couple of trays of this slice had the added bonus of using up some of large number of limes and lemons on our trees. I make this slice a lot, lemon or lime favours seem to be widely appreciated. The slice keeps well.

This is the first year that our limes have been really bountiful, this one was in a pot for six or seven years and then replanted into the garden two years ago. It has gone from a tree that produced very few undersized limes to something quite splendid.

This lime is younger and has done much better. It was a gift six years ago and did not spend as much time in a pot. 

The dwarf lemons are much better suited to the pots that held the limes and producing lots of good sized juicy fruit.

Pizza for lunch

Some cookies

Sausage rolls for the freezer.

After all this baking it was time to head into town for coffee and a bit of knitting.

My new raincoat 

Did what it claimed which was most pleasing and made my afternoon walk bearable.

The lime and coconut slice can be cut into small squares or larger pieces for a simple dessert.

Lime & Coconut Slice

Ingredients

Base 1 ½ cups plain flour ½ cup sifted icing sugar 125gm butter, chopped ½ tsp vanilla extract 1 egg 1 cup lemon/lime spread

Topping 2 cups coconut 1/3 cup castor sugar 2eggs

Method

Preheat oven to 160C. Grease and line deep slice tray.

Combine flour, and sugar in a bowl, add butter and rub in until mixture resembles coarse breadcrumbs. Add vanilla and egg. Mix into a firm dough.

or

 Put flour, sugar and in food processor bowl. Whiz to combine. Add butter and process until mix resembles coarse bread crumbs. With the processor going, add vanilla and egg and pulse/whiz until it forms a ball.

Press the dough evenly into the prepared tin. Smooth/gently roll a glass across the top Bake the base for 15 minutes or until the edges are starting to colour and top is pale golden.

Meanwhile, make the topping.

In a large bowl, whisk eggs and sugar until they are well combined. Stir in coconut. Or combine all ingredients in the food processor bowl and whiz.

When the base is ready, remove from the oven. Spoon lemon/lime spread over the base and then the topping. Return to oven and bake for 20 minutes until topping has set and is golden brown. Leave slice to cool in the tin on a wire rack.

Cut slice up when completely cold.

Lemon/Lime Spread

125 g butter

½ cup caster sugar

125 ml lemon /limejuice

Fine zest of the lemons/limes

2 tablespoons cornflour

2 large eggs

Method

Melt butter

Whisk lemon juice, rind, sugar and cornflour together, add eggs and whisk again.

Combine lemon mixture with melted butter, mix well.

Microwave on high for one minute, whisk and then for thirty seconds at a time, whisking each time. The total cooking time is about 3 minutes. ( 1minute plus 4 x 30 seconds). The finished spread will be thick.