My Kiwi BFF used to make lolly cakes for work morning teas. It was one of those fridge set cakes that involved a lot of condensed milk, some crushed malt biscuits, chopped lollies and desiccated coconut. It’s then sliced so the lollies look like little pastelly beads. Google New Zealand Lolly cake and you’ll find pictures and recipes.
The first time I went to New Zealand we saw slices of it for sale in cafes. Everywhere. I think I’ll always associate it with her.
This gingery oaty slice is also quintessentially Kiwi- even though, surprisingly, there’s no condensed milk in it. I made a batch last weekend (see procrastibaking) and took what was left into the guys at work. The icing is almost fudge like in consistency and taste, and I’m sure the calories have airborne capabilities. If you’re on the no sugar bandwagon, look away now.
Anyways, especially for Belinda, Zohra and Jacinda, here’s the recipe- with thanks and all rights to The Cook And The Baker.
What you need…
For the base:
150g plain flour
1 ½ teaspoons baking powder
1 ½ teaspoons ground ginger
75g desiccated coconut
165g rolled oats
150g light brown sugar
150g butter
70g golden syrup
For the icing:
290g icing sugar
1 tablespoon ground ginger
120g butter
115g golden syrup
What you do with it…
Your pre-planning for this one will involve heating your oven to 180C and greasing and lining a rectangular slice pan. If you’re into measurements, it should be 11x34x2.5cm. Put the ruler away now.
Sift the flour, baking powder and ginger into a medium bowl and then stir in the other dry ingredients. In the meantime you will have melted the butter and golden syrup together. Keep the heat low so it doesn’t go too dark. Mix it through the dry ingredients and press it all into your tin.
It will look and taste a bit like a wetter crumble mix.
Bake for around 25-30 minutes, or until golden. It will smell like you have anzac biscuits in the oven.
For the icing, sift the icing sugar and ginger into a bowl. Don’t try to skimp on the sifting thing or you’ll end up with little white lumps.
Do the melting thing with the butter and syrup again and mix it into your gingery sugar.
Pour it over the slice and spread it evenly. Then pop it aside until it’s set.
And Anyways... 
Thank you Jo. Going to try this tonight!
Oh, I like the sound of this and immediately it brought back some memories of my dad and childhood so perhaps we used to make something like this! Of course I now can’t eat oats cos of the whole coeliac thing!
I love how things like this inspire memories.