Oaty ginger slice

Oaty ginger slice

(Click here for the gluten-free version)

I found the recipe for this slice hand-written over 15 years ago in our family recipe book, way before the internet was around. I’ve since discovered the original version was Jo Seagar’s recipe – an amazing Kiwi cooking icon to be admired! There are a few versions of it floating around now, this is my slightly tweaked one. Somewhere between ANZAC and ginger crunch, it really is the most gorgeous recipe – super easy to make and a little too easy to eat, as well.

Base
150g butter
3/4 cup brown sugar
2 tbsp golden syrup
3/4 cup plain flour
1 1/2 tsp baking powder
1 1/2 tsp ground ginger
1 1/2 cups whole oats
3/4 cup desiccated coconut

Icing
125g butter
3 tbsp golden syrup
5 tsp ground ginger
1 1/2 – 2 cups icing sugar, sifted

Method

Preheat the oven to 180c. Line a 32cm x 22cm slice tin with baking paper.

Melt the butter, sugar and golden syrup in a large saucepan over a medium heat, stirring gently to combine. Remove from the heat.

Sift the flour, baking powder and ginger into the pan with the buttery mixture. Add the oats and coconut, and stir to combine. Press the mixture into the prepared tin and smooth out with your fingers, or the back of a spoon. Bake in the oven for 15 minutes. Remove and leave in the tin.

To make the icing, gently melt the butter and golden syrup in a saucepan over a medium heat. Remove from the heat and sift in the ginger and icing sugar. Stir with a wooden spoon to combine to form a thick, smooth icing. Tip on to the warm slice and press out flat. Leave in the tin to cool then cut into slices. Store in an airtight container in the fridge for up to a week (a ludicrous notion – I bet it won’t last 2 days).