Opera House Slice Bars Recipes

Steps:

• Make sponge cake:
• Put oven rack in middle position and preheat oven to 425°F. Butter baking pan, then line bottom with a sheet of parchment or wax paper, leaving a 1-inch overhang on short sides, and generously butter paper. Dust pan with cake flour, knocking out excess.
• Beat whole eggs in a large bowl with a handheld electric mixer at high speed until eggs have tripled in volume and form a ribbon when beaters are lifted, 2 to 3 minutes. Reduce speed to low, then add almond flour and confectioners sugar and mix until just combined. Resift cake flour over batter and gently fold in.
• Beat egg whites in a bowl with cleaned beaters at medium speed until foamy. Add cream of tartar and salt and beat until whites just hold soft peaks. Add granulated sugar, then increase speed to high and beat until whites just hold stiff peaks.
• Fold one third of whites into almond mixture to lighten, then fold in remaining whites gently but thoroughly. Fold in butter, then pour batter evenly into baking pan, spreading gently and evenly with offset spatula and being careful not to deflate (batter will be about 1/4 inch thick).
• Bake until very pale golden, 8 to 10 minutes, then cool in pan on a rack 10 minutes.
• Loosen edges of cake with spatula, then transfer cake (on paper) to a cutting board. Cut cake into strips and squares. Trim outside edges slightly, then carefully peel paper from strips and squares and set back on paper.
• Make coffee syrup:
• Stir together espresso powder and 1 tablespoon water until powder is dissolved. Bring sugar and remaining 1/2 cup water to a boil in a 1- to 2-quart heavy saucepan, stirring until sugar is dissolved. Reduce heat and simmer syrup, without stirring, 5 minutes. Remove from heat and stir in Cognac and coffee mixture.
• Make coffee buttercream:
• Stir together espresso powder and 1 tablespoon water until powder is dissolved. Bring sugar and remaining 1/4 cup water to a boil in a very small heavy saucepan, stirring until sugar is dissolved. Boil, without stirring, washing down any sugar crystals on side of pan with a pastry brush dipped in cold water, until syrup registers 238°F on thermometer (soft-ball stage; see cooks' note, below).
• While syrup boils, beat yolks in a large bowl with cleaned beaters at medium speed 1 minute.
• Add hot syrup to yolks in a slow stream (try to avoid beaters and side of bowl), beating, then add coffee mixture and beat until completely cool, 3 to 5 minutes. Beat in butter, 1 piece at a time, and beat until thickened and smooth.
• Make glaze:
• Melt butter and all but 2 tablespoons chopped chocolate in a double boiler or in a metal bowl set over a saucepan of barely simmering water, stirring occasionally, until smooth. Remove top of double boiler and stir in remaining 2 tablespoons chocolate until smooth, then cool glaze until room temperature but still liquid.
• Assemble cake:
• Put 1 cake square on a plate, then brush generously with one third of coffee syrup. Spread half of buttercream evenly over top with cleaned offset spatula, spreading to edges.
• Arrange both cake strips side by side on top of first layer (any seam will be hidden by next layer), then brush with half of remaining coffee syrup. Spread half of glaze evenly over top, spreading just to edges.
• Top with remaining cake square and brush with remaining coffee syrup. Spread remaining buttercream evenly over top, spreading just to edges. Chill cake until buttercream is firm, about 30 minutes.
• Reheat remaining glaze over barely simmering water just until shiny and spreadable (but not warm to the touch), about 1 minute. Pour all but 1 tablespoon glaze over top layer of cake and spread evenly just to edges. Scrape remaining tablespoon glaze into sealable plastic bag and twist bag so glaze is in 1 corner. Snip a tiny hole in corner and decorate cake (leave a 1/2-inch border around edges). Chill cake until glaze is set, about 30 minutes, then trim edges slightly with a sharp serrated knife.

Steps:

• Preheat oven to moderate (180C.) Grease a 30cm x 20cm (base measurement) slice tin and line with baking paper, hanging over the two long sides.
• To make the base, sift the flours and icing sugar into a mixing bowl.
• Rub in the butter with your fingertips until evenly combined.
• Press into the tin and bake for 15 minutes.Cool 10 minutes.
• For the topping, melt the butter in a saucepan and then add the sugar, vanilla, milk and fruit. Stir over a low heat until the sugar has dissolved. Remove from the heat and stir in the almonds.
• Spread the topping over the base, and baked for 10 minutes until the almonds are lightly golden.
• Cool the slice in the tin, lift out and cut into squares to serve.

Steps:

• Preheat the oven to 160°C and grease and line a 20cm square loose-bottomed cake pan with baking paper.
• Place butter, cocoa, sugar, eggs and flour in a bowl and mix well to combine. Press firmly into the prepared pan and bake for 15 minutes or until set. Allow to cool completely.
• Meanwhile, for the mint topping, place sugar, mint and 1/2 cup (125ml) water in a saucepan over low heat and stir until the sugar dissolves. Increase heat to medium and simmer for 3 minutes, then set aside to cool completely. Strain the sugar syrup into a jug, discarding the solids. Place the cream cheese in a food processor and whiz for a few seconds to soften. Add cooled sugar syrup, eggs, peppermint extract, cream and food colouring and process until smooth.
• Pour the cheesecake mixture into cake pan then tightly wrap the base of the pan with foil to make it watertight. Place the cheesecake in a deep baking dish and fill with enough boiling water to come halfway up the sides of the cake pan. Bake for 25 minutes or until topping is just set - the cake may have a slight wobble but it will firm on cooling. Remove from the oven and cool completely, then chill for 2 hours or until firm.
• Cut cheesecake into slices, drizzle over the cooled melted chocolate and serve.

Steps:

• Preheat oven to 180°C ( 350 - 360°F ).
• Soak the apricots in the milk and set aside for 30 minutes.
• Using electric beaters, cream the margarine with the sugar.
• To the cream margarine - add the eggs and beat well. Add the flour, vanilla and coconut. Then add the apricot and milk mixture.
• Spread the mixture into a greased slice tin ( 18 x 7 inches).
• Bake for 30 minutes
• Slice can be topped with lemon icing if desired and more cocnut sprinkled over for decoration.
• Cool slice in the tin and cut when cold.

Steps:

• Preheat oven to 180°C
• Combine flour the flour, mixed spice,diced apricots, pistachio kernals and the sugar in a large bowl. Add the margarine, eggs, lemon juice and vanilla essence and stir until well combined.
• Spoon the mixture into a greased and lined lamington tin and bake for 30 minutes at 180ºC or until golden brown.
• Whilst still warm, glaze the slice with melted apricot jam.

Steps:

• Preheat oven to 180°C or 160°C if using a fan-forced oven. Line a 22cm square pan or a slice tin.
• Combine all ingredients for the slice base and press into the prepared pan.
• Bake 12-15 minutes. Remove from oven and allow to cool in the pan for 15 minutes. The base is still soft while hot, but will harden as it cools. The base will be light in colour.
• Using a bowl, combine the can of condensed milk and the passionfruit pulp.
• Spread the passionfruit mixture over the slice base and return to the oven for about 12 minutes, or until the topping is just firm to the touch.
• Remove from oven, allow to cool 15 minutes and then chill until set.
• Cut into squares to serve.

Steps:

• Preheat fan forced oven to 180 degrees Celcius.
• Line a 20 x 30 cm tray with baking paper.
• Beat eggs, add honey, vanilla and coconut oil.
• Mash bananas and add to mixture.
• Grate carrots and apples and add to mixture.
• Crush Weet-Bix and add to mixture.
• Add rest of dry ingredients.
• Combine with your hands and press into prepared tray.
• Bake for 20-25 minutes.
• Allow to cool slightly in tin.
• Slice into 12 breakfast portions or 18 snack portions.

Steps:

• Heat 1 tablespoon of the oil in a pan and cook the onion until soft. Remove from pan.
• Heat the remaining oil and cook meat and spices until well browned-breaking the lumps up with a wooden spoon. This will take about 10 minutes.
• Remove from the heat and stir in the herbs, pine nuts, currants, lemon juice and onion, keep warm.
• Heat a chargrill pan until hot. Slice each eggplant lengthways into thin slices-you will need 12 slices in total.
• Brush the slices with oil and season with salt and pepper. Chargrill on both sides.
• Place a slice of eggplant on each plate and top with some of the lamb mixture, then a second eggplant slice. Repeat teo make a second layer.
• Crumble cheese over the stack and serve with lemon wedges and a sprinkle of parsley and or mint.