Apricot Slice with egg custard - with photo

[JulieO]

APRICOT SLICE - converted from a Bill Granger recipe
185g plain flour
170g caster sugar
1 tsp baking powder
Pinch salt
3 eggs
3 tblsp milk
2 tsp vanilla extract
180g butter, softened
14 apricots, halved (fresh or canned - I used canned)
2 tblsp caster sugar extra (I used Demerara)

Preheat oven 160C.  Grease 20x30cm lamington tin. (line base for ease of removing).

Place the eggs, milk and vanilla in a small jug, whisk by hand until combined.  Put aside.

Add the flour, sugar, baking powder and salt into bowl.  Turbo twice to combine.
Add softened butter, mix for 10 secs/speed3.  **
Pour set aside egg mixture through opening in the lid and mix for 25-30 secs/speed 3 until light and smooth.
Spread evenly into tin.

Place the apricot halves cut side up evenly (don’t push down or they will disappear when baking) into the mixture in four rows of 7.  (I added a few extra to use up what I had, the more the merrier I reckon).

Place in the oven and bake for 25 mins.  Sprinkle over extra sugar and cook for another 20-30* mins or until golden and a skewer comes out clean.

Put aside for a few mins while making custard.  
Cut into fingers with 2 apricot halves per slice.  Makes 14 slices.

*depending on your oven, it may take a bit longer.

** my butter was practically liquified when I added, so it didn't take long to mix in.  If yours isn't quite so softened it may take a few more seconds to combine and smoothen.

EGG CUSTARD
30g sugar
40g cornflour
500g milk
3 eggs
1 tsp vanilla extract

Place sugar into TM bowl and pulverise for 20 secs/speed 9.  Scrape down sides of bowl.

Add the remaining ingredients, cook for 6 mins/90 C/speed 4. MC lid off or on a slant.  

Pour over slice in individual bowls.


This will make enough for the whole slice, what's not eaten straight away gets put into a container and kept in the fridge.  

The following night I like to re-heat the slice on a gentle heat in the oven which will crispen up the top again and serve with a dollop of the cold custard.  Bliss  





members' comments
Rainbow - Tried this over the weekend, excellent we all really enjoyed it and I loved the egg custard.   

cookie1 - I've just taken this out of the oven and it looks delicious. Just like JulieO's.

[virgo9]

Thanks for sharing Julie. I'm going to have a go at this so I can take to my Mum's for dessert on Friday night for family dinner. It's already being printed. Yum!!!

[Cornish Cream]

Great recipe and photo JulieO.Have printed this off as well.

[whisks]

another yummy, julie! thanks!

[Thermo Jo (aka Jodi)]

That looks sublime! Can't wait to try it. 

Keep em coming....

[achookwoman]

JulieO,  this looks good,  in fact devine.   How many does it feed?

[judydawn]

Julie, this looks sooo good and that custard looks just like a bought one  Thanks so much for posting it. A good base for any summer fruits coming our way too.

In this month's edition of Australian Good Food there are 10 speedy apricot desserts (could be adapted to the TMX) which all look lovely but this one of yours was not amongst them. It is worth buying the book just for that one page.

[CreamPuff63]

looks yummy JO, I made a similar apricot slice here, and yours looks delightful with the custard dripping over. excellent photo again as usual so we get a mouthwatering closeup 

[rainbow]

MMM looks good I have printed it out ready for weekend dessert, and thanks Judydawn on the tip for the magazine I will buy one too.    Rainbow

[cookie1]

This really looks spectacular Julie. Thanks. I've harmed another tree and printed it off too.

[JulieO]

Thanks all again. 

Chookie, it recommends cutting into 14 pieces, roughly 2 of the apricots in each piece, but of course you could cut bigger slices if you want to.

I really recommend re-heating it in the oven when wanting more the next day or so, as it crisps up nicely again on top.   

[JulieO]

Something I thought of this morning that I hadn't noted in the recipe. 

Re the softened butter -  I'd put cubed butter in a bowl in the oven while it was preheating and by the time I took it out some of it had liquified and the rest was very soft.  Therefore when mixing into the mixture it didn't take too long at all. 

If your butter isn't quite as soft as what mine was, it may take a few more seconds to mix in to a smooth batter.

Thought I'd better clarify this, I will note in the original recipe too.   

[cookie1]

Thanks JulieO.

[trudy]

Thanks Julie.  The slice looks great - just the thing for the can of apricots in my pantry.

[rainbow]

Tried this over the weekend, excellent we all really enjoyed it and I loved the egg custard.