Macadamia Shortcake Slice

Ingredients

• 250g (1 /2lb) butter, softened to room temperature
• 3 /4 cup caster (superfine) sugar
• 4 eggs
• 2 cups self-raising flour, sifted
• 11 /2 cups macadamia halves
• 6 tablespoons warmed apricot conserve
• 1 tablespoon extra caster sugar

Method

1. Preheat oven to 180°C (350ºF). Grease a 30cm x 20cm x 4cm (12 x 8 x 11 /2 inch) deep pan and line the base with baking paper.
2. Beat butter and sugar together in a bowl until thick and creamy, about 5 minutes. Beat in eggs 1 at a time.
3. Stir in flour and half the macadamias to make quite a stiff mixture.
4. Using a spatula spread half the mixture over the pan base, spoon over the warm conserve.
5. Spread over remaining cake mixture to reach pan sides. Press in remaining macadamias and sprinkle with caster sugar.
6. Bake for 25-30 minutes or until a skewer inserted comes out clean. Cover with baking paper if macadamias brown too much.
7. Remove, stand 5 minutes before turning out onto a rack to cool. Cut into squares.

Serves 24.