School holiday snacks Treats to keep tins full

Press, 7 May 1984, Page 8

School holiday snacks Treats to keep tins full

COOKING with

Celia Timms

With the children home from school for the May holidays demands on the cookie and cake storage tins will be heavy. The following recipes for bars or squares, which are more quickly made than other shaped cookies, also freeze very well and can, if required, be made well in advance. Apricot bars Have a shortcake base and a topping with apricots and chopped walnuts. To make about 30 you need: Mi cup softened butter or margarine ‘A cup firmly packed brown sugar 1 cup flour Pinch of salt 2 eggs 1 cup firmly packed brown sugar (additional) Pinch of salt 1 teaspoon lemon juice Ms teaspoon baking powder One third cap flour (additional) % cup chopped walnuts 1 cup chopped dried apricots Method: For the base: Mix softened butter with the brown sugar, flour and a

pinch of salt and pat into base of well greased 8-inch square pan. Bake at 180 C for 20-25 minutes.

For topping: Beat eggs with brown sugar until light and fluffy. Blend in salt, lemon juice, baking powder and flour. Stir in the nuts and chopped apricots. Spread over the baked layer and bake at 180 C for 30 minutes. Cool slightly then dust with sifted icing sugar if desired. Cut into bars or squares. Lemon bars Similar to the Apricot Bars with a base of shortcake but this time a topping of coconut and nuts with a lemon icing. You need: One third cup butter 1 cup flour 2 tablespoons sugar

2 eggs % cup firmly packed brown sugar % cup coconut Vz cup chopped nuts *A teaspoon salt ‘A teaspoon baking powder Vz teaspoon vanilla 2 teaspoons grated lemon rind 2 tablespoons lemon juice 1 cup sifted icing sugar Method: Combine butter, flour and sugar to make coarse crumbs and pres? firmly into an UN-greased 9-inch square pan. Bake at 180 C for 15 to 20 minutes until set but not brown. Combined beaten eggs with brown sugar and beat until light; add coconut, chopped nuts, a pinch of salt, baking powder and vanilla and blend well. Spread over the cooked base and return to oven. Bake a further 25 to 30 minutes. Make icing with icing sugar, lemon rind and juice and spread immediately on removal from oven. Cool for about 15 minutes before cutting into bars or squares. Deep freezes well. Walnut toffee bars: These are cake-like in

texture with a good flavour. You need: % cup butter or margarine 1 cup firmly packed brown sugar 1 large egg 1 teaspoon vanilla 1 cup flour % teaspoon baking powder */« teaspoon salt % cup chopped walnuts Method: Cream butter with sugar and egg and vanilla. Combine flour with baking powder and salt and sift into the creamed mixture. Mix well. Blend in walnuts and turn into greased 8 inch pan. Bake at 180 C for 30 minutes or until just set in centre when tested. Cool in the pan on a wire rack. Cut into bars or squares.

Tipsy Balls These rum flavoured balls are not recommended for the children but make a good sweetmeat for serving with after dinner coffee and they do not require cooking. You need: IVz cups shortbread biscuit crumbs

Pinch of salt 2 tablespoons corn syrup 5 tablespoons or more Rum Two thirds cup stoned dates, chopped finely 1 cup chopped walnuts About 12 glace cherries, finely chopped Icing sugar Method: Combine all ingredients except icing sugar and after blending thoroughly, form into small balls. Place in container lined with wax paper, cover and leave to stand for several days. Drop more rum on each ball with a small teaspoon or eye dropper, if desired and leave to stand two or three days longer. When ready to serve roll in sifted icing sugar.