Figgy Bake

Using figs in baking is pretty unusual, but this tray bake is so good, it is worth buying the dried figs to have a go! My husband loves them anyway, to snack on and calls them tea bags. You can buy the fig packs very cheaply in Lidl.

You will need a Swiss roll tin, about 12 x 8 inches, well buttered and lined, with the parchment hanging over the long edges. Pre heat your fan oven to 160C. Makes about 20-24 squares.

This tray bake has three parts.

The figgy filling:

7 oz dried figs, chopped quite finely

½ pint water

the juice and rind of a lemon

The base:

7 oz butter

11oz plain flour

3 oz caster sugar

The top:

2 eggs, beaten

2 teaspoonfuls baking powder

2 oz caster sugar

You must prepare the filling well beforehand and allow it to cool. I do it the night before baking in the morning. Place all the filling ingredients in a small saucepan and allow to gently simmer until thick but still soft enough to spread - about 30 mins.

In a medium bowl rub the butter into the flour until it resembles fine breadcrumbs and divide this in half.

Press the first half onto the base of your prepared tin, getting it as even as possible.  Spread over the figgy mix.

For the topping, beat your eggs, bp and caster sugar into the remaining base half, until well mixed and you have a soft dropping consistency. Place little dobs carefully over the figgy mix then spread as evenly as possible without disturbing the figs,

Bake for about 40 mins and leave in the tin for a while to firm up. Lift out using the parchment hanging over and allow to go cold on a cooling rack before cutting into little squares.

Keeps well for several days and freezes well too. Yum yum. Trust me, you will love them!