Jam Slice Recipes

Steps:

• Line 2 baking sheets with parchment paper. Whisk the flour, baking powder and salt in a medium bowl. Beat the butter and sugar in a large bowl with a mixer on medium-high speed until light and fluffy, 3 to 5 minutes. Beat in the egg, then the vanilla and lemon zest. Reduce the mixer speed to low; add the flour mixture and beat until just combined (the dough will be soft).
• Divide the dough into 4 pieces and put 2 pieces on each prepared baking sheet. Shape each piece into a 12-by-1-inch log, about 3 inches apart. Using the handle of a wooden spoon or your finger, press a 1/2-inch-deep indentation down the middle of each log. Refrigerate until firm, about 30 minutes.
• Position racks in the upper and lower thirds of the oven and preheat to 375 degrees F. Fill the indentations with jam. Bake, switching the position of the pans halfway through, until golden brown, 20 to 25 minutes. Let cool completely on the baking sheets, then transfer the logs to a cutting board and slice crosswise into 1-inch-wide cookies.

Steps:

• Preheat oven to 190°C.
• To make the pastry, sift the flour into a medium bowl. Rub the butter into the flour with fingertips until the mixture resembles fine breadcrumbs (this could also be done in a food processor).
• Add egg yolk to the flour mixture and enough water so that the ingredients can be pressed together to form a firm dough.
• Turn the dough out onto a lightly floured surface and knead gently until smooth.
• Roll the dough into a rectangle large enough to cover the base of a slice tin (about 20x30cm). Place the dough into a lined slice tin and bake for about 20 minutes or until lightly browned. Allow to stand for 10 minutes.
• Reduce oven temperature to 180°C.
• Spread the jam evenly over the pastry base.
• Combine the coconut, eggs and sugar in a medium bowl and mix with a fork until all the coconut is moist.
• Spread the coconut mixture evenly over the jam (do not flatten mixture). Bake for about 20 minutes or until golden brown.
• Allow the slice to cool in the pan before cutting into slices.

Steps:

• Heat oven to 180C/160C fan/gas 4 and line a 20 x 30cm baking tin with baking parchment (2 lengths crisscrossing is the easiest way).
• Beat the butter, caster sugar, vanilla and egg yolk together in a large bowl with an electric whisk until pale. Stir in the flour with a good pinch of salt using a wooden spoon - then your hands to bring everything together into a crumbly dough.
• Press half into the base of the tin as evenly as you can - using a potato masher works quite well - and smooth the top. Spread the jam over the top, leaving a 1cm empty border all around the edge. Crumble over the remaining shortbread mixture, then pat down, trying not to dislodge the jam too much. It will look patchy, but don't worry, the icing will smooth it all out. Bake for 35 mins until pale golden. Leave to cool in the tin.
• Once cool, sift the icing sugar into a bowl, and stir in about 100ml water with some food colouring to a thick-ish but runny icing. Pour over the slice, then tilt the tin to evenly spread. Quickly dot over some more food colouring, then use a skewer or toothpick to swirl and marble the top. Leave to set overnight until the icing is hard, then cut into slices. Will keep in a tin for up to five days.