Lemon Ginger Slice

This lemon ginger slice is classic vintage childhood stuff mixed with all the learnings of how to bake with gluten free flours for me – something that I had no choice in learning once I had to go without gluten when I was 29 and everything either tasted like cardboard OR was made with questionable, super refined gluten-free flours whose farming standards weren’t traceable. I took matters into my own hands as a half Frenchy who would never compromise on taste and got cooking. One of my favourite combinations is the simple tapioca starch / flour combined with coconut flour. Subbing coconut flour one for one is a rooky error many are bound to make as you start out experimenting, but combining it with lighter starches means you ground the starch and create that gorgeous, natural crumb, while you are able to create adhesive batters that don’t fall apart, WITHOUT them turning out like a rock in texture.

Something that brought me such big smiles this week was seeing you all share a favourite sweet from your childhood on our Facebook community and while it wasn’t one of the most common ones, the ol’ lemon slice or lemon ginger slice came up a couple of times and I SO remember this not from childhood but when I had my first job and was able to buy things in my late teens, and a shop in the city where I was working made a BRILLIANT one.

I’ve created a lemon ginger slice that still tastes just like something out of the country women’s association, while cutting the sugar back and using gluten free flours – zero compromises, here, I promise.

I hope it brings you lots of joy with people you love over tea one day soon.

Real treat means happy bodies and a happy planet because we aren’t using all that fake weirdness or highly processed seed oils or bleached flours. Real Treats are the kinds of treats our bodies can handle from time to time and we should rightly enjoy every, single bite!

Print Recipe

Lemon ginger slice

Prep Time10 mins

Cook Time25 mins

Total Time35 mins

Servings: 20 squares

Ingredients

Slice Batter

• 80 grams butter salted
• 1 tbsp rice malt or maple syrup
• 2/3 cup tapioca flour arrowroot flour can be used interchangeably
• 1/4 cup + 1 tbsp coconut flour if you don't have coconut flour sub with 1/3 cup chick pea or sorghum flour.
• 2.5 tsp ground ginger
• 1 tsp baking powder
• 1/3 cup rapadura sugar also called panela. You could use maple syrup also here.
• 1/2 cup dessicated coconut
• 1 egg you can use a flax egg substitute to be egg free

Icing Ingredients

• 40 grams butter salted
• 1 cup rapadura sugar finely blended on high in a dry blender for smoothest result, although I don't bother.
• 1 tsp tapioca flour
• 1 tsp ground ginger
• 1 tbsp grated lemon rind you could also use lime rind.
• 2 tbsp lemon juice
• 1/3 cup dessicated coconut This is to dust over the top once the slice is done, before you set it.

Instructions

• Melt the butter and syrup together until just melted
• Preheat oven to 180C / 350F, fan forced
• Melt the butter and syrup together until the butter is just melted
• Add all other cake batter ingredients, with the egg last so it doesn't get cooked against the warm butter
• Blend on medium speed for 10 seconds
• Press out into a lined slice tin of about 25 x 18cm
• Bake on 180C / 350F for 25 minutes or until firm and cooked (do the skewer test at 20 minutes to be sure it needs that extra 5 minutes)
• Remove from oven and decant to a cookie cooling rack

ICING instructions

• Heat a small saucepan on medium heat until water comes to the boil, then turn onto low heat
• Place a bowl over the top with the butter in it, until butter melts.
• Stir in the rapadura sugar, lemon juice, ginger, tapioca flour and rind / zest into a thick brown blobby paste
• Let it sit in the bain marie / double boiler until it becomes thick, spreadable liquid
• Spread over the slice (it doesn't need to be fully cooled first)
• Dust your coconut over the top and set in the fridge for an hour until the icing is hardened
• Invite people you love to a table where you set up a pot of tea and squares on a tray
• Appreciate how lucky we all are to be able to savour these treats and delicious moments with our special people

Notes

Feel free to print the recipe, share with friends or leave a comment about your experience - You can even rate the recipe with our new star system!

I'd love to see your efforts, as always, over on instagram, too @lowtoxlife

Enjoy!

Alexx x