Dad's Favourite Date Slice

1 cup chopped dates
1 cup coconut
1 cup self raising flour
1/2 cup sugar
125 g (4oz) butter
1 egg

Add melted butter to sifted flour and other dry ingredients. Mix well. Add lightly beaten egg. Press into greased tin and bake for around 20 minutes in a slow oven. (mum's slow varies - i'd say this should be from experience moderate to slow around 140C - time will depend on the size of the tin)

Cut into fingers when cold.

EASY slice

This recipe has been made in our family for over 40 years. It seems (as the name suggests!) almost too easy...

1 cup self raising flour
1/3 cup brown sugar
1 cup coconut
125g (4oz) butter

Melt butter and pour over dry ingredients. Mix. Cook in slice tin in moderate oven 15 - 20 minutes.

Ice while hot - chocolate or lemon

enjoy...

Date Crunchies

There are a wealth of recipes we grew up on as kids in mum's old hand written cook books. I don't remember anything being bought from supermarkets or shops. Everything was made at home. Here's another of those family recipes to share with you.

8oz (250g) flour
12oz (375g) dates
4oz (125g) rolled oats
6oz (190g) sugar
5oz (160g) butter
grated lemon rind
2 - 3 teaspoons water

Heat chopped dates, rind and water until soft. Pour melted butter over the flour, sugar and rolled oats mix.

Spread half the oats mixtured in greased slice tin and press down firmly. Spread the softened date mixture over the bsed. Sprinkle the rest of the oats mixture over the top.

Bake in a moderate oven for 1 hour. Wait until quite cold before cutting into fingers.

Raspberry Crumble Bake

I've been making this so long - its a little note of ingredients in my book with no instructions - think I got the ingredients one day off mum over the phone so here's my attempt with adding the 'how' as well as the 'what'...

Preheat a moderate oven and grease a slice (12" x 8") tin (I also add baking parchment to the bottom of the pan).

12oz (360g) Self Raising Flour
1 egg
3oz (90g) butter
60z (180g) sugar
4 rounded tablespoons jam (OK well I'm generous here and use about double this)
1 level teaspoon cinnamon

Mix the flour and sugar, crumble butter through with your hands add egg and mix well. Cover the slice tin with a bit over half this mix to make a base. Press firmly. Spread the jam over the base. Crumble the rest of the mix loosely over the jam. Bake for about 20 minutes or until lightly golden.

(My lazybones addition is to soften the butter in the microwave or in a bowl over hot water, then mix.)

(My variations - I've used this to make all sorts of seasonal delights by changing the variety of jam, replacing the jam with fruitmince.)

It looks delightful cut in little squares then dotted with a half teaspoon quenelle of mascarpone, or a teaspoon of lightly whipped cream.

Pecan Slice

Someone gave this recipe a few years back. It's typed on a loose piece of paper sitting inside the cover of one of my notebooks. Sorry I can't remember who gave it to me or I would credit you! (let me know if you read this and I will credit you though...)

3/4 cup (110g) plain flour
1/4 cup (35g) self-raising flour
90g butter, chopped
1 egg, lightly beaten
2 cups (200g) pecans

topping:

60g butter, melted
1/3 cup (80ml) golden syrup
1/4 cup (50g) firmly packed brown sugar
1 egg, lightly beaten
2 tablespoons self-raising flour

Sift flours into medium bowl, rub in butter, stir in egg.

Press mixture over base of greased 19cm x 29cm rectangular slice pan.

Bake in moderate oven 15 minutes.

Combine all topping ingredients in a small bowl and mix well. Sprinkle evenly with nuts. Pour topping mixture over the nuts.

Bake for further 15 minutes or until topping is just set. Cool in pan.

Caramel Slice

Another of those family recipes that I can date back quite sometime. This certainly was used in the family as early as the early 1960s. It was our (my brother and I) childhood favourite.

Base:

1/2 cup butter
1 cup SR flour
3/4 cup brown sugar
pinch of salt
1 egg

Cream butter and sugar. Add egg, then flour and salt.

Cook in greased slice tin in moderate oven until golden.

Topping:

1 cup brown sugar
1 tablespoon butter
1/4 cup milk
about 4 tablespoons icing sugar

Stir continuously over low heat until boiling. Boil 3 minites without stirring. Cool then beat in the sifted icing sugar. Pour topping over base, and allow to set.