Makes 25 small squares
Some things are meant to go together and I think lemon and coconut are some of those things. I love them both on their own, but I love them even more together.
So when life (or in my case, my lovely neighbour, Luce) gives you lemons, can I suggest you make this slice? Because it’s really, really nice.
The hero of this slice is the lemon syrup which makes this bake so marvellously moist. If you like your cake on the drier side, just use a drop less syrup. Similarly, make sure the syrup has thickened slightly, because no one likes a soggy slice. I’ve updated this recipe with a Thermomix conversion, but I still find making my syrup on the stove provides best syrupy results. If you have a secret trick to make a thicker syrup in the thermie, do let me know, won’t you?!
You’ll need about three lemons to make this recipe.
Ingredients – Traditional
155g butter, softened
¾ cup (165g) caster sugar
Grated rind of 1 lemon
2 eggs
1 ¼ cups (100g) desiccated coconut
1 cup (150g) self-raising flour
2 tablespoons lemon juice
LEMON SYRUP
¼ cup (55g) caster sugar
1 tablespoon finely grated lemon rind
1/3 cup (80ml) lemon juice
¼ cup (60ml) water
How to – Traditional
- Preheat oven to 180 C / 160C fan-forced. Grease 20cm x 30 cm rectangular pan, line base and long sides with baking paper; extending paper 5cm (2 inches) over sides.
- Beat butter, sugar and rind in small bowl with electric mixer until light and fluffy; beat in eggs until combined.
- Transfer mixture to medium bowl; stir in coconut, sifted flour and lemon juice.
- Spread mixture into pan, smoothing the top with a spoon. Bake for about 20 minutes. If it’s browning too quickly, loosely cover with foil.
- Meanwhile make lemon syrup. Stir ingredients in a small saucepan over low heat until sugar dissolves. Bring to the boil. Reduce heat; simmer, uncovered, about 10 minutes or until syrup thickens slightly.
- Pour syrup over hot slice.
- Cool in pan before cutting into squares.
Ingredients – Thermomix
165g raw sugar
155g butter, softened
Grated rind of 1 lemon
2 eggs
100g desiccated coconut
150g self-raising flour
2 tablespoons lemon juice
LEMON SYRUP
55g caster sugar
1 tablespoon finely grated lemon rind
1/3 cup (80ml) lemon juice
¼ cup (60ml) water
How to – Thermomix
- Preheat oven to 180 C / 160C fan-forced. Grease 20cm x 30 cm rectangular pan, line base and long sides with baking paper; extending paper 5cm (2 inches) over sides.
- Mill raw sugar to caster sugar for 5 seconds on speed 9.
- Add butter and chop for 5 seconds on speed 7.
- Add the lemon zest to TM bowl.
- Insert butterfly and mix for 1 minute on speed 4. Scrape down sides of bowl and repeat, mixing for another 1 minute on speed 4.
- Remove the butterfly. With the blades running on speed 3, add the eggs one at a time through the hole in the lid. This should take about 30 seconds.
- Add the coconut, flour and lemon juice and mix for 10 seconds on reverse speed 3. Scrape down sides of bowl and mix for another 10 seconds on reverse speed 3.
- Spread mixture into pan, smoothing the top with a spoon. Bake for about 20 minutes. If it’s browning too quickly, loosely cover with foil.
- Meanwhile make lemon syrup. Stir ingredients in a small saucepan over low heat until sugar dissolves. Bring to the boil. Reduce heat; simmer, uncovered, about 10 minutes or until syrup thickens slightly.
- Pour syrup over hot slice.
- Cool in pan before cutting into squares.
Other info
Prep and Cooking time: 35 minutes
To store… Store slice in an airtight container for up to a week.
