Rum and Raisin Slice

It astounds me how quickly time flies, every day I argue myself out of bed at 7am (unless I am working a morning shift which would be a 5.30am rise) after running errands, visiting my family and all the other bits and bobs in my daily routine the sun is climbing into her bed and dimming her lights, before you know it, a day turns into a week, a week into months and then the year has ended and a new one begun. Like many people in this chaotic world I wish time would tick slower and our days be extended just to make everything worth my while. Honestly though, where is the fun in that?

This is my way of justifying why I have not written a new post in over a week, if you have been waiting to see what I am baking I apologise, I hope this recipe makes up for lost time!

My next recipe is Rum and Raisin Slice, personally I wasn't convinced, the only reason I can think of why I was not thrilled with this recipe is that the sultanas are soaked in rum and I have a deep seeded physiological issue with rum caused by an extremely drunken night out in my mid twenties in what was then the biggest night club in Cairns, the Playpen International, a place where dreams came true and anything could happen. The Playpen was at the time my home away from home, I spent more time there than in my own home. Maybe I should have been paying them rent and not Ray White Reality.

In a time when the liquor laws were relaxed and drinks ridiculously cheap this particular night saw bundaberg dark and stormy udls selling for a steal at only $2.50 a can, being young, (especially for my age) I thought it clever to buy three drinks at a time and waste not a moment in drinking them, causing me to fall down a flight of stairs, drink in hand and waking up the next morning with a massive gash in my leg not knowing where I was or whom I was with, today, the scar on my shin is a constant reminder of how silly I was in that exhausting period of my life, no wonder I struggle to wake at 7am these days!

Without further a due, here is the recipe for rum and raisin slice, I have been told it is delicious, the kind of cake you need to sneak in a second slice of, I am going to take those comments to face and let you make your own decision, enjoy baking, sharing and eating this apparently delicious slice, the smell of the fruit infusing in the rum invokes memories of my childhood watching mum soak fruit in spirits for her Christmas cakes.. sigh!

RUM and RAISIN SLICE

1 cup (150g) plain flour
2 tbsp cocoa
1/2 cup (110g) brown sugar
1/2 cup (40g) desiccated coconut
125g butter, melted
1 cup (180g) raisins, chopped
1/4 cup (60ml) rum (I used Bunderburg Rum, an Aussie favourite)
1 1/2 cups (225g) dark chocolate melts
300ml thickened cream
2 eggs, lightly beaten
1 cup (150g) dark chocolate melts, extra, melted
1 tbsp vegetable oil

METHOD

1. Preheat oven to 180oC/160oC fan forced. Lightly grease a 28cm x 18cm lamington pan, line base and sides with baking paper.

2. In a medium bowl, combine sifted flour and cocoa, sugar and coconut. Add butter, mix well. Press mixture firmly into the prepared pan. Bake for 15 - 20 minutes or until lightly browned. Cool. Reduce oven temperature to 160oC.140oC fan forced.

3. Combine raisins and rum in a small bowl, microwave uncovered for 1 1/2 minutes, stir, repeat in 30 second intervals until the raisins are plump and tender. Cool slightly.

4. Combine the dark chocolate melts and cream in a microwave safe bowl, microwave uncovered on medium for 1 minute, stir, repeat process in 30 second intervals until melted, stir until smooth, set aside to cool slightly. Add eggs and raisin mixture, gently whisk until well combined. Pour into prepared base. Bake for 30 minutes or until almost set.Remove from oven and cool.

5. Combine extra chocolate melts and oil, stir until smooth, pour evenly over slice. Refrigerate to set. Cut into 16 squares to serve.


So, there you have it, yet another recipe from the Sweet Baking Favourites cookbook. I need to share a secret with you, I have already baked the next recipe and it is DELICIOUS, a favourite of mine, I was so happy when I finally found this recipe, it was a treat to see it in this book.. stay tuned to find out what it is, till then, eat, share and love the food you bake!