Lemon Slice

This slice is perfection. The perfect treat for anytime of the day, and a total crowd pleaser. I've had to put my boyfriend on rations... To top it off its pretty simple too. Ticks all my boxes! So, thank you Donna Hay for bringing it to my attention.

I fancy a grapefruit version of this might go down a treat as well, or a mixed citrus (lemon and lime perhaps?). I'll get back to you!

(Oh, and yes - that whisk is a carrot! Its from Urban Outfitters.)

[base]

• 1 cup caster sugar
• 1 cup desiccated coconut
• 2 cups plain flour
• 200g butter, melted

[filling]

• 4 eggs
• 2 egg yolks
• 2 cups caster sugar
• ⅓ cup plain flour
• 1 tbsp. lemon zest (approx. 1 lemon)
• 1 cup lemon juice (approx. 2 lemons)

Preheat oven 180°C. Line 20x30cm baking tray.

Mix sugar, coconut, flour and butter in a bowl until it resembles breadcrumbs. Press into tin, smoothing with the back of a metal spoon. Bake 15-20 mins until golden.

Whisk eggs and yolks together in a large jug. Add sugar, flour, lemon rind and juice. Whisk until smooth. Pour the filling over the cooked base.

Reduce oven to 160°C. Cook slice for a further 25-30 minutes until filling is just set (not wobbly anymore). Chill 1-2 hours. The base is VERY hard, so leave to soften 5 minutes before cutting.

Dust with icing sugar if you like to make it look all pretty. 

White Christmas

White Christmas just screams festivity. And if you're looking for something quick and easy to whip up at short notice for any Christmassy gathering, or it's just to hot to turn the oven on, look no further.

These are cheap too which makes gift giving far more attractive.

Children can make this staff (virtually) unsupervised, so even the most novice of bakers is sure to succeed. And everyone seems to like it. It evokes all good things Christmassy, without any added stress at what is generally an eventful time in the kitchen at this time of year. It can be made well in advance, as it has a 2 week storage time (I did this, and it wasn't effected negatively at all).

One word of advice - heat the knife a little under some hot water before cutting. It will make it so much easier.

• 2 cups rice bubbles
• 1 cup desiccated coconut
• 1 cup powdered milk
• 1 cup mixed fruit, roughly diced (go for something with glace cherries or add them in for extra festive cheer)
• 1 cup icing sugar
• 250g copha
• 1 tsp vanilla essence

Combine rice bubbles, coconut, powdered milk, fruit and icing sugar in a large bowl. 

Melt copha in a small pan over low heat or in the microwave for 30 second bursts on a medium setting until melted. Pour this over the dry ingredients, and vanilla and then mix together. I used my hands, but don't feel you have to. 

Tip into a lined, deep 30 x 20cm baking tray (a lamington or brownie pan) and press down firmly. Make sure it has a nice and even surface. Smoothing with the back of a spoon helps. 

Chill until set (2 hours or so) and the cut into pieces. Do what ever you like here. I made quite large bars, but bite-sized squares would be cute too.

Keep refrigerated in an airtight container for up to a fortnight. 

The Weekly Digest #21

1. The Michael Kors spring/summer 2014 collection. It's how I want to dress when I grow up. 
2. Christmas goodie bags. The easiest & most enjoyable gift to put together that's sure to please everyone. I go in for retro treats (recipes to come later this week), but choose whatever suits you best. Try these easy recipes: ratatouille chutney, fairy cakes, ricciarelli, choc-dipped sugar cookies, spiced orange choc-chip cookies, salted caramel shortbread, cream cheese hazelnut brownies, pecan pralines and white-choc lemon truffles.
3. Interesting roasts. Turkey is all well and good for Christmas dinner, but maybe we should spice things up a little this year? Try these festive updates: Guinness & honey glazed pork, beer & black pepper beef, Moroccan spiced chicken, maple-mustard pork and bacon & rosemary lamb.
4.  Are you a master Instagrammer? Wondering if those snaps can be put to good use? Why not have them printed up by kikki.K to use as highly personalised stationery. 

The Weekly Digest #7

1. Matches Fashion's best dressed list. With the likes of Cara Delevingne, Alexa Chung, Joan Smalls and Diane Kruger, there's no reason to argue!
2. Co-ords. I need to get a head-to-toe look happening! Would make dressing in the morning wonderfully simple and obvious! 
3. Sale time! Myer & David Jones are in the midst of stocktake sales, and their are some amazing bargains to be had.
4. Stews and casseroles are the essence of winter as far as I'm concerned. I have a regular rotation of favourites, but I've also been tempted by these ones: chicken potato and spinach curry, lamb white bean and marjoram casserole, braised pork with cider and parsnips, and pesto chicken stew with dumplings. 
5. The other thing I like to do in winter is bake. I mean, I do it always, but it seems even more enjoyable in winter. There is nothing more wonderful the curling up with a good book, hot tea and one of these delicious goodies (which I plan on trying asap!): brown sugar and lemon mascarpone muffins, Portuguese tarts, sour cream doughnuts with lemon curd, or mars bar slice.  

Cara Delevingne & Alexa Chung.

Coconut Ice

VINTAGE POST:

There has been very little baking in my life over the last two months. I moved flats, and ended up in my kind of hell - kitchenless. Well there is a kitchen, but I'd rather not have a side of bacteria with my dinner if I can avoid it.

There has been a few trips to friends kitchens to borrow their ovens, but the practicality of this wasn't really working out. And then I had to pack up the love of my life, my Mix Master, and put it into storage all safe until I return from being overseas (did I tell you that? Well I am off to the Norwich in England for a semester on university exchange).

I was becoming a little desperate, and a lot bored, not being able to cook. So I had to get creative. Welcome to "Baking Without Baking 101". This little series of posts will hopefully prove to all you doubters out there that there really is no need for fancy equipment, and hardly even a kitchen! A fridge and microwave is all you need, and I imagine even in the most wanting of cooking spaces these are available.

First up is Coconut Ice. A long time favourite of mine and one of the first things I was allowed to make on my own. There are 2 distinct versions of coconut ice; one made with copha and the other condensed milk. Can you guess which I prefer?

• 2 cups icing sugar
• 1/4 tsp cream of tartar
• 1 can condensed milk (about 400g)
• 1/2 tsp vanilla extract/essence (you could use a strawberry or raspberry flavour if you like, though that's not strictly traditional)
• 3 1/2 cups desiccated coconut
• 2-3 drops pink food colouring

Line a 20cm square tin with baking paper (or some prefer plastic wrap). 

Combine icing sugar, cream of tartar, condensed milk, and vanilla in a large bowl. Add coconut and mix with hands to combine. 

Press half the mixture into prepared tin and set aside.

With remaining mixture, mix through the food colouring (again use your hands). Press into tin on top of the white mixture. Smooth top with the back of a spoon.

Chill in fridge for 2 hours until firm and cut into small pieces to serve. 

Mars Bar Slice

Mars Bar Slice is a recipe I know by heart. Family legend has that I taught my Aunt to cook it one day when she was babysitting. I don't remember it, though I was only 3 or 4.

It is a super-delicious, super-easy treat that everybody loves. Put a batch of this out and it'll be gone in the blink of an eye! Not that it matters; you can make it that quickly too.

This is a no-bake, no-stove, barely need a fridge recipe. My only stipulation is that you use actual Mars Bars. Anything else messes with the consistency.

• 3 regular size Mars Bars OR a packet of fun size bars*
• 3 1/2 cups puffed rice cereal (aka rice bubbles)
• 90g butter

*If you want it a little fudgier try using extra bars.

Chop Mars Bars and butter and place in a microwave-safe jug/bowl, or in a pan over the stove. In a microwave, melt in bursts of a couple of minutes and stir after each. On the stove, melt over low heat.

The consistency wont be perfectly smooth (the nougat goes a little stringy), but its done when the chocolate and butter are melted and the nougat has broken down. 

Mix the cereal in gently so as not to crush too much, ensuring everything is coated evenly.

Spread into a lined (foil or baking paper) 20 - 25cm square tin. Set in the fridge until firm (though I found mine did set quite quickly in a cool spot out of the fridge) and cut into squares to serve.

You can ice this with melted chocolate or chocolate icing, but I never have and have found you loose the Mars Bar taste when you do.