Chocolate, Nut & Dried Cherry Slice

An easy dessert recipe that can be baked in convection or in the combination convection microwave speed mode.

Slice is in effect a giant cookie that is baked in a shallow-rimmed baking pan and then cut into slices before serving. Slice is popular in Australia, served for morning or afternoon tea, and the variety of flavor combinations is astounding. Recipes for slice have one thing in common, they are very easy to put together and they have a relatively short baking time.

In this recipe, I am making good use of my Convection Microwave Speed oven to reduce the baking time to 10 minutes and also to melt the chocolate that I will spread over the baked slice.

INGREDIENTS

½ cup unsalted butter softened

1 tsp lemon zest

½ cup granulated sugar

1 large egg

½ cup chopped walnuts or pecans

½ cup chopped dried cherries

1 ¼ cups all-purpose flour, sifted

1 ½ tsp baking powder

¼ tsp salt

7 oz dark baking chocolate

PREPARATION

Grease a ¼ sheet pan (approx. 10 x 6") and line it with parchment leaving an overhang around the edge for easy removal and heat the Speed or Convection oven in the Convection mode to 330 degrees.

Cream the butter, lemon zest, and sugar until light and fluffy, then beat in the egg.

Fold in the nuts and cherries, then add the sifted flour, baking powder, and salt.

Spread the mixture into the pan and place in the oven. Touch the +Microwave option (if using a Speed oven) and use the default setting or select a low microwave setting. Set the timer for 10 minutes.  When you remove the pan from the oven the slice should be a little soft as it will continue cooking.

Place the chocolate in an oven-safe container, cover it, and melt using the 90W or recommended setting in your microwave.  Remove the cooled baked slice from the pan, place it on a cutting board, and spread the melted chocolate evenly over the base.  Let it set before slicing.

Makes 12 pieces