HOME BAKING

One of my favourite pastimes is baking, and I came across this recipe on a website - http://www.exclusivelyfood.com.au/ whilst searching for bread recipes.
A very easy slice to make and tasty as well:

CHOCOLATE, PECAN AND COCONUT SLICE

(other nuts, such as macadamias, can be used instead of the pecans).

250g packet Nice biscuits
120g butter or margarine, melted
125g milk or dark chocolate, chopped into small chunks (can use Cadbury Dairy Milk chocolate, but I used Dark cooking chocolate in my recipe)
90g pecan nuts - chopped
75g (3/4 cup plus 2 tablespoons) desiccated coconut
395g sweetened condensed milk

Preheat oven to 160 degrees Celsius (140 degrees Celsius fan-forced)

Line an 18cm by 28cm slice pan or baking dish with baking paper.
Finely crush biscuits in a blender or food processor. Combine crushed biscuits and melted butter (can do this in the saucepan that the butter was melted in).
Firmly press biscuit mixture over the base of the prepared pan.

Sprinkle biscuit base with chocolate chunks and chopped pecans
Sprinkle evenly with coconut.
Drizzle with condensed milk, covering as much of the coconut as possible.
Bake for about 32-35 minutes, or until lightly golden on top.
Allow slice to cool to room temperature in pan, then refrigerate for several hours until cold and set.
Remove slice from pan and cut into squares to serve.
Store in an airtight container in the refrigerator. Suitable to freeze.

Another favourite recipe of mine is FRUIT SLICE - (a recipe from my Mum)
She rates this as probably the best slice - versatile and keeps well.

1 1/2 cups SR Flour
3/4 cup castor sugar
4oz (125g) butter - melted
2 eggs
1 cup either chopped dates or mixed fruit and nuts
2 oz. chopped walnuts - or nuts of your choice
2 1/2 tsp spice - you can use about 3/4 tsp of cinnamon, nutmeg and ginger if you like)
1 tablespoon milk.

Sift dry ingredients into bowl and add sugar, fruit and nuts.
Beat eggs, add milk (you could add vanilla essence as well.
Stir into dry ingredients with melted butter.

Bake 25-35 mins at 180 degrees.
This also freezes well.

I now have to get my mind into gear to prepare the next newsletter for the Rare Fruits meeting, which is on the 2nd February at Aldershot - have plenty of material to include, and always trying to keep the newsletter at 5/6 doublesided pages, so that they fit in the envelopes.
It's such a pain for me, as I need to drive into Hervey Bay to get the printing done (would be good if the group was small, but at times there is up to 70 copies that have to be done).
Then the envelopes and taking to the post office. Not keen to keep on doing this!!!