Mrs Wall’s Pappinbarra Fruit Slice
I remember eating Mrs Wall’s Pappinbarra fruit slice when I was a kid, at a picnic next to Pappinbarra Creek, a perennial stream of the Hastings River catchment on the mid north coast of NSW. Every summer, we would meet family friends here for lunch, accompanied by the deafening noise of cicadas. The adults passed the time with cups of tea and idle banter on their fold out chairs in the shade, while the kids floated in the creek on big rubber tyres and played cricket.
The nostalgia of a homemade slice
I asked Mrs Wall for the recipe for this Pappinbarra fruit slice, and it remains one of my favourites, transporting me back to my childhood and those Pappinbarra Creek picnics every time I make it.
The original recipe was vague with its instructions, which is part of its charm – it’s open to the reader’s interpretation. I’ve added some dried figs to the recipe. I think it would also work well with dried apricots or cranberries. The slice is quick and easy to make, and it’s a great lunchbox snack. I hope you like it too.
If you like dried fruit in your baked treats, you might like to make these pumpkin and date scones.
Best wishes,
Amanda
PS: If you’ve tried this Pappinbarra fruit slice or any other recipe on At Amanda’s Table, please let me know how it turned out in the comments below. If you’d like to read more, please subscribe to my monthly newsletter for stories, recipes and tips for simple, nutritious meals.
Pappinbarra Fruit Slice
Ingredients
- 125 g unsalted butter (1/2 cup)
- 225 g self-raising flour (1 1/2 cups) I like to use wholemeal flour
- 225 g brown sugar (1 cup)
- 100 g sultanas (1/2 cup)
- 200 g dried figs (1 cup)
- 1 egg
Instructions
- Preheat oven to 190℃ (170℃ fan-forced).
- Grease a lamington tin and line with baking paper.
- Boil the sultanas and figs in 1 1/2 cups of water for 5 minutes, then drain and allow to cool.
- Add the butter and sugar to the drained fruit and mix until the butter has melted and the sugar has dissolved.
- Stir in the flour, then press into the prepared tin, smoothing the mixture on the top.
- Bake in the oven for 25-30 minutes. Allow to cool for ten minutes before turning out onto a wire rack. Cool completely before cutting into squares.
- Store in an airtight container for up to three days.
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