Free Cooking Recipes

MAKES 20

11/4 cups dried apricots
6 tablespoons super fine (caster) sugar
4 oz. (125 g) butter
2 cups (8 oz, 250 g) all-purpose (plain) flour, sifted
1 teaspoon double-acting baking powder (2 teaspoons baking powder)
1 egg, beaten
1 teaspoon ground cinnamon
milk
LEMON ICING:
1 cup (5 oz, 55 g) confectioners’ (icing) sugar
1 tablespoon melted butter
2 teaspoons lemon juice
yellow food coloring

Directions:

1. Soak apricots in hot water for 1 hour. Cook apricots with 3 tablespoons sugar until soft. Puree and cool.
2. Rub butter into flour and baking powder. Add 2 tablespoons sugar and mix to a firm dough with the egg. Chill.
3. Divide dough in half. Roll out and line a 11 x 7 inch (28 x 18 cm) greased slab cake pan (tin) with half the dough.
4. Spread with apricot pur6e, sprinkle with remaining sugar and cinnamon.
5. Cover with remaining rolled pastry, brush with milk. Bake in a hot oven (425°F, 220°C, Gas Mark 7) for 10 minutes, lower heat to 350°F (180°C, Gas Mark 4) and cook for a further 20 minutes. When cold, ice with lemon icing. Cut into fingers.
6. Lemon icing: Sift sugar into a bowl, add melted butter and lemon juice. Mix to a spreading consistency with boiling water. Mix in yellow food coloring.