Caramel Walnut Slice

This classic slice has a coconut base topped with a chewy nut and caramel topping – everyone will go nuts for it! 

I first gave this a go in the early isolation days when the days were long and supplies of flour were short. This slice ticks all the boxes because it uses a few pantry staples,  only a little flour and it tastes amazing.

The caramel taste in this slice is real and with the combo of the nuts – it’s positively irresistible. In fact, the only tricky thing about this slice is trying not to inhale it in one sitting because truly it’s impossible to resist.

Case in point, I gave 6 pieces to my neighbour Luce for her dessert one night and when I saw her the next morning, there was only one piece left! Whether you want to bake your feelings or just eat them, this is the slice for you! 

As it happens, Luce had inadvertently aided and abetted me in making this dangerously delicious slice because she gave me the walnuts that inspired it. In her defence, and she gave me a top tip too. She told me to keep my nuts in a sealed container in the fridge, and by golly, it’s been a game changer. No more soft, stale nuts in this house, now that they have a new home in the fridge, they’re eternally crunchy.

If you like your nuts crunchy and your slice chewy delicious, I promise you this recipe will not disappoint! 

Where do you store your nuts? What’s the one food you can’t resist?

Ingredients

FOR THE BASE

60g butter, melted

1/2 cup (75g) self-raising flour

1/4 cup (60g) caster sugar

1/2 cup (45g) desiccated coconut

FOR THE TOPPING

2 eggs, beaten

1/2 teaspoon vanilla

1 cup (85g) coconut

90g walnuts, roughly chopped

200g brown sugar

1/2 teaspoon baking powder

How to – Traditional

1. Grease a 28cm x 18cm lamington  tin and preheat oven to 180C.
2. Sift the flour into a bowl and stir in the sugar and coconut. Mix well.
3. Melt the butter over a low heat and add to the dry ingredients.
4. Press the mixture into prepared tin and bake for 15 minutes. 
5. Beat the eggs and vanilla together and add to the other topping ingredients. Mix well.
6. Spread the mixture over the partly cooked base and bake for another 20-25 minutes or until the topping is cooked.
7. Cool in the tin and then cut into squares or slices.

How to – Thermomix

1. Grease a 28cm x 18cm lamington  tin and preheat oven to 180C.
2. Melt the butter for 3 minutes at 60C on speed 2.
3. Add the flour, sugar and coconut to TM bowl and mix for 5 seconds on reverse speed 4. Scrape down sides of bowl and mix for another 5 seconds on reverse speed 4.  
4. Press the mixture into prepared tin and bake for 15 minutes. 
5. Add the eggs and vanilla to TM bowl and mix for 5 seconds on speed 4.
6. Add the other topping ingredients to TM bowl and mix for 5-10 seconds  on reverse speed 3 until combined.
7. Spread the mixture over the partly cooked base and bake for another 20-25 minutes or until the topping is cooked.
8. Cool in the tin and then cut into squares or slices.