Caramel and Coconut Jam Slices

I was frantically searching through every box in my house (and that's a whole other saga) and stumbled across a book that I had completely forgotten about... gee I hope I haven't borrowed it off someone and forgotten... Anyway, it's called "Basics to Brilliance Slices Recipes" from the Family Circle test kitchen.

With a little family day happening today to, in part, celebrate me no longer working Sundays, I decided to make a couple to dish up as afternoon tea/dessert. Aside from my mother's chocolate slice (of which there is a version in this book too), there are two slices that rate right up there on my favourites list - caramel slice, and coconut slice. And they were in the book! Yay!

Caramel Slice

1/2 cup plain flour
1/2 cup self-raising flour
1 cup dessicated coconut
1/2 cup soft brown sugar
100g butter

FILLING
30g butter
2tbl golden syrup
400g can condensed milk

TOPPING
125g dark chocolate, chopped
30g butter

Preheat oven to 180C. Line base and sides of a shallow 28x18cm tin with aluminium foil.
Sift flours into a medium bowl; add coconut and make a well in the centre. Combine sugar and butter in a small pan and stir over a medium heat until butter has melted and sugar dissolved.
Add butter mixture to flours and stir until well combined. Press over base of prepared tin, using the back of a spoon. Bake for 10 minutes; leave to cool.
To make filling, combine butter, syrup and condensed milk in a small pan. Stir constantly over a low heat for about 10 minutes until mixture boils and lightly browns (and careful if the bubbles spit at you!). Pour over pastry base and bake for 20 minutes. Set aside until completely cold.
To make topping, combine chocolate and butter in a heatproof bowl. Stand bowl over a pan of simmering water until chocolate has melted and mixture is smooth. Remove from heat; cool slightly. Spread over caramel filling. Leave to set. Using foil, lift slice from tin; cut into squares to serve.
This can be stored in an airtight container for up to 2 days. Cos of the weather I kept it in the fridge.

Coconut Jam Slice

1/2 cups plain flour
150g butter
1/2 cup icing sugar
1/3 cup strawberry jam (I used raspberry)

TOPPING
1/3 cup caster sugar
2 eggs
2 cups dessicated coconut, toasted (I couldn't be bothered toasting it)

Preheat oven to 180C. Line base of slice tin with baking paper, extending over two sides.
Place flour, butter and icing sugar in a food processor. Using the pulse action, process for 30 seconds until mixture comes together. Turn onto a lightly floured surface and press together until smooth. Press dough into prepared tin; refrigerate 10 minutes. Bake for 15 minutes, or until just set; leave to cool. Spread jam over cooled base.
To make topping, place sugar and eggs in a medium mixing bowl and whisk until combined. Stir in coconut.(cos I'm greedy I made 1.5 times the recipe amount... don't recommend it)
Spread topping over jam, pressing with the back of a spoon. Bake 20 minutes, until lightly golden. Cut when cold.
This can be stored in an airtight container for up to 3 days. Again, because of the weather I kept this in the fridge.

Both slices seemed popular. But gee, I think I need some practice on them. I might need to make them again......

;-)