Lemon Slice

I love pretty much  anything lemon flavoured including this lemon slice.  The trick to making a great lemon slice is to include lemon juice in the icing on top.  The more zing the better.  I've tasted a quite a few lemon slices that don't have the lemon flavour and I've been left wondering what slice it was.

This slice keeps for a couple of weeks in the fridge and travels well too.


1/2 a tin of sweetened condensed milk.  I think the current size is 400grams

125 grams of melted butter

1 packet of Marie biscuits or similar sweet biscuit

1 tablespoon of lemon juice

1 cup of shredded coconut

Grated zest of 1 medium lemon ( I like to add more )


Crush the biscuits with a rolling pin or in a food processor.
Add all other ingredients and mix well until everything is wet.
Place into an oblong slice tin and pat down with the palm of your hand.
Refrigerate for one hour

Lemon icing -

Approx. 1  1/4 cups of icing sugar
juice of 1/2 a lemon

Mix together until a thick icing is made.  Add a little extra lemon juice if needed.
Spread the icing over the slice working quickly to even and smooth it out
Add a little extra shredded coconut to the top of the icing and press slightly into the icing.
Return to the fridge to set.

To cut the slice,  take it out of the fridge for 1/2 hour before cutting.  It can be cut in the tin or taken out and cut. 
Store in containers with baking paper between each layer.

Hoovers Doovers

This recipe is an old family favourite from my childhood.  When Mum first made them,  Dad called them Hoovers Doovers as he thought that's how you pronounced hors d'oeuvres. As with most of my recipes,  you can make them your own by adding your favourite ingredients.  My inlaws like to add pineapple to theirs.


Bread - sandwich sliced of any type
Butter or margarine

Butter approximately 12 - 14 slices of bread and place onto large flat baking trays

In a bowl place -

1 1/2 large tomatoes or 2 medium tomatoes finely diced
4 eggs
Diced ham or bacon - about 150 -200 grams
1 1/2 - 2 cups of grated cheese
2 teaspoons of dried onion flakes or 1/2 small onion finely diced
1 teaspoon of chives or parsley
Salt or garlic salt, pepper to taste

Mix all the ingredients together.  The mixture should be wet and thick. Add another egg if needed.
Spoon onto bread and spread to the edges with a fork.
Cook in the oven for 25 - 30 mins @ 200c until the bread is golden underneath.

Serve hot.  They are best eaten fresh but can be refridgerated  for two days but must be covered.  Can be frozen.

Apple Rose Pastries

I first saw a tutorial for Apple Rose Pastries on facebook a few weeks ago.  They are easy,  tasty and very impressive looking.  After looking at the tutorial a few times I thought I'd give it a go.  I've made a few changes as I came across some problems when making them.  Here's my version of a delightful dessert -

2 sheets of puff pastry
3 medium red apples
1 1/2 tablespoons of jam - any flavour,  store bought or homemade
1 cup of boiling water
flour for the bench
juice of half a lemon
cinnamon -optional
icing sugar - optional

Cut the apples in half and neatly cut out the core.
Thinly slice the apple halves discarding the small end pieces

Place and spread out the apple slices in a large microwavable bowl
Pour the boiling water over the apple and add the lemon juice.  Stir slightly.
Cover the bowl with cling wrap and punch a couple of holes in it.
Microwave on high for 3 minutes or until the apple is cooked and soft ( not mushy )
Drain the water and let the apple cool.

Defrost the pastry until it's almost room temperature. 
Lightly flour your kitchen bench and roll the pastry out with a rolling pin until it's longer by about 20%.  Make sure your rolling pin is lightly floured too.
Cut the pastry sheet into 5 long strips.

Warm the jam in the microwave until it's easy to spread
Spread the jam over the top half of each pastry strip

Layer the apple pieces over the jam. Make sure the apple overlaps each other.

Sprinkle with cinnamon and fold the bottom half of the pastry up towards the top.

Starting at one end,  roll the pastry up taking care that the apple doesn't fall out.
Pinch the pastry end to the rose.
Place each rose in a lightly greased muffin tin

Cook at 180 degrees Celsius for 40 minutes
Sprinkle with icing sugar and serve with cream or icecream

Makes 10 apple roses.

NOTES -

*  The original tutorial said to cut the pastry in 6 strips.  I found the pastry too firm to roll it out this thin.  I think the pastry in the tutorial was American and might be more flexible.

*  The apple slices must be cool or it will soften the pastry too much making it hard to work with

*  Make sure the jam is just warm or it will soften the pastry.

*  The original recipe used cold water to cook the apples.  This takes too long to heat up in the microwave

*  The apple roses can be made and cooked ahead of time.  I found them easy to reheat in the oven on a baking tray.

Sausage Rolls

These sausage rolls have become a party favourite in the Gower house.  They are full of flavour and very tasty.  Once you've tried homemade sausage rolls you'll never want to eat store bought again.

4 sheets of Puff Pastry defrosted.
I egg beaten

To a large bowl add - 

500 grams of sausage mince, 
good squirt of tomato sauce,
Salt, pepper, chives or parsley,
finely chopped onion ( or dried ),
Garlic ( I use dried )
Half a cup of seasoned  bread crumb
.
Mix all ingredients well by hand or with an electric mixer

Lightly spray baking trays with cooking spray

On a floured surface cut 1 pastry sheet in half ( thirds if you want tiny bite sized ).
Spoon mixture along each pastry half, - not too much.
Brush edge closest to you with a beaten egg.
Roll pastry over towards you
Brush the top of the pastry with the beaten egg.
Cut to desired size.
Cook in oven on about 200 degrees Celsius for 20 - 30 mins until golden brown

NOTES - 

*  Grated carrot and zucchini can be added to the sausage mince.

*  Sausage rolls can be frozen.