LEMON SLICE (NO BAKE)

A slice is a wonderful sweet treat.  They are even more wonderful when there is no baking involved.  This slice is easy to make and even easier made in the CC.  Feel free to add some lemon zest to the icing - I usually do but didn't on this occasion because I accidentally grated my finger whilst zesting the lemon for the base and I was a bit gun shy!

LEMON SLICE (NO BAKE) 

Slice Base 

1 packet of plain biscuits (Marie, Arrowroot etc)
90g of dessicated coconut

Zest of one medium lemon

120g butter diced

1/2 tin of condensed milk

1. Line a slice tin with baking paper, with paper hanging over the long sides.
2. Place butter in the jug with the kneading blade. Select Speed 3 Temp 80 Time 1.30 min.
3. When butter is melted place broken up biscuits in the jug and select Pulse and pulse until the biscuits are crumbs (it doesn't matter if there are some small chunks of biscuits left).
4. Place other ingredients in the jug. Select Pastry P1 for 50 seconds.  Stop machine at 20 seconds remaining and scrape down the sides of the jug. Resume program.
5. Turn mixture out into the prepared tin. Press down firmly with the bottom of a drinking glass or measuring cup.

6. Cover with icing and refrigerate for at least 1 hour.

Icing30g butter, very soft

1 cup of icing sugar

2tsp lemon juice (you may need a bit more to achieve a good consistency)
1 tsp lemon zest (optional)

1. Place all ingredients in the jug with the kneading blade.
2. Select Speed 8 15 seconds.
3. Check consistency - add more lemon juice or more icing sugar if required. 

LIME AND COCONUT CUPCAKES

I don't know about you but I absolutely adore citrus flavours.  You name them, I love them. Especially lime, lemon, orange and mandarin.  I just adore the zingy, zesty, tangy, freshness of citrus and the myriad of ways that they can be used in baking. Citrus fruits are not overly expensive and you seldom need to use a lot of them in a recipe, making them both a tasty and affordable flavouring option.

I created this recipe yesterday when I was craving a touch of summer after a day of gloomy grey skies.  These cupcakes have the most wonderful flavour, texture and tang and they smell divine. I hope you enjoy them.

LIME AND COCONUT CUPCAKES

Cake

1 cup coconut cream

125g softened butter

3/4 cup white sugar

4 drops vanilla essence

2 eggs

2 cups self raising flour

1/2 cup dessicated coconut
zest of 2 limes

1. Preheat oven to 160 degrees. Place rack in the centre of the oven. Place cupcake liners in a 12 hole muffin or cupcake tray.
2. Place all ingredients into the jug with the kneading blade, in the order listed. Select the Pastry P1 program. 30 seconds before the end of the program, stop the machine and scrape down the sides. Restart the program.
3. Once program is complete, carefully remove the kneading blade.  Then fill each of the cupcake liners 2/3 of the way to the top.
4. Place the tray on the centre rack of the oven and bake for 18 - 22 minutes or until a skewer or toothpick inserted in the middle comes out clean.
5. Remove cakes from the oven.  Allow to cool in the tin for 5 minutes then remove to cool on a cake cooler.

(Note: - this batter can be baked as a whole cake by placing in a 20cm round or square pan and baking at the specified temperature for 35-45 minutes.)

Icing

1 tbsp butter
2 cups of icing mixture (not pure icing sugar)
1 cup dessicated coconut

zest of one lime

juice of two limes (you may not need the entire amount)

1. Place butter in the jug with the kneading blade. Select speed 3 Temp 90 Time 1 minute to melt butter.
2. Place icing mixture, coconut, zest and half of the juice in the jug with the melted butter. Select Speed 4, Temp 0, Time 15 seconds.
3. When complete, check the consistency. It should be thick but spreadable.  If it is two thick add a little more lime juice, a teaspoon at a time and mix for 5 seconds until the desired consistency is reached.
4. Once the cakes are cool, spread the icing mixture over the tops.  Garnish with a small slice of lime if desired.
5. Allow the icing around half an hour to set. (You will notice in the picture that the icing looks quite shiny and that's because I took the picture before the icing had had time to set.)