Week 35 - Coconut Slice

Quote from book -  These traditional favourites are sweet, moist and perfect for tea parties.

On a cold day, eat warm with home-made custard

 - The Women's Institute vintage teatime book.

Faff Factor = 5

Bake = 8

Keeping Up Appearances = 8

Total score = 21/30

Another week, another bake and I've managed to use the WI book again (how did that happen?). 

I think I'm going to have to reserve judgement on these slices as I thought they were rather strange.  The bottom layer is a really thick sponge with a rapsberry jam (I think if I used strawberry I may have liked them a little more) with the topping an egg white and coconut mix.  It really did taste all a little strange, to me that is, as the boys really loved them! 

Funny how that happens don't you think?

Reading the recipe I thought these would be a perfect bake.  I liked the fact that it used only 3 eggs of which the yolks are used for the sponge and the whites for the topping, yay no waste as I keep freezing my egg whites and have to throw them out after a month - note to self look for more egg white recipes. 

Little did I know that my whisking techniques for egg whites needed to be perfected.  I managed to use 6 eggs in total as my first attempt at adding coconut to the egg whites was a disaster as the mixture split. 

Lesson learned this week is even though the book said add the sugar and coconut, stop sit and think, use your knowledge and don't tip it in the bowl in one go, instead use the whisk, you gradually add then fold in using a metal spoon, I've got to start listening to myself.  Lesson learned :-)

The sponge mix was really really thick too so added 2 tablespoons of milk just so I could get it out of the bowl into the tray as there was no way I could pour the mixture as the recipe asked.

So my quick bake ended up being a mammoth washing up task but I'm glad I gave them a go.

I'm 35 bakes into my challenge now but with only 14 weeks left to the year I'm falling short of 3 weeks, yikes I better get my books out and bake bake bake.....saying that I need to bake 2 cakes for The MacMillan Cancer Coffee morning at work this week.

Hope your day is full of happiness.

Lynetta Xx