RECIPE | Putting Christine Capendale's Hertzoggie slice recipe to the test

I have worked with passionate foodie Cape-based Christine Capendale before and I've always enjoyed her cookbooks. As a keen baker I was delighted to see a copy of her latest publication, Baking for Profit and Pleasure.

Capendale kicks off with great advice for baking for profit, branding, packaging, costing and pricing. The book is packed with useful information and I found her tips for monetising one's baking particularly helpful.

The chapters cover a range of topics from breakfast dishes, tray bakes, traditional recipes, platters, exceptional cakes, pies and tarts and wholesome treats, including gluten free and vegan recipes. Browsing through the book, I earmarked a couple of recipes I would like to try as Christine’s recipes are refreshingly uncomplicated and accessible and the best thing is most of them are made with ingredients you have handy in your cupboard.

I made the carrot cake cookie bars, which were a real crowd pleaser. As I didn't have sultanas, I used cranberries and enjoyed her idea of adding ground cardamom which worked well with the orange in the cake. The cake was delicious and I managed to keep it fresh and moist in an airtight container for a week. It's a great one for school bakes, birthday parties, or even baking for profit.

Other ideas I've put to the test are the Chicken Caprese Galette — a crispy, flaky pastry filled with chicken, pesto, cheese and tomatoes. It is a delicious lunch or supper dish  and really easy to prepare.

Her chicken, leek and mushroom pie is easily made with phyllo pastry and the filling is one of the nicest I've tried in ages. This will be made often in my home.

As a great fan of marmalade, I decided to use it in her Hertzoggie slice — that old traditional recipe that combines apricot jam and coconut. This recipe is easy because you don't have the fuss of lining lots of  individual patty pan trays with pastry, as it is made in a slice. I replaced the apricot jam with my homemade marmalade and the result was delicious. 

HERTZOGGIE SLICES

Serves: Makes about 30 squares

Ingredients:

340g (650ml) cake wheat flour  

10ml (2 tsp) baking powder

35ml caster sugar 

Pinch of salt 

180g cold butter, cubed

2 eggs

60ml (4 tbsp) milk

Topping:

400g apricot jam, slightly warmed or marmalade

4 egg whites

240ml caster sugar 

500ml (2 cups) desiccated coconut 

Method:

1. Grease and line a 30x25cm baking pan. Sift together the flour, baking powder, caster sugar and salt. 
2. Rub the butter into the dry ingredients. 
3. Beat together the eggs and milk, then mix into the flour mixture to make a soft dough. Press evenly into the pan and refrigerate for 30 minutes. 
4. Preheat the oven to 170° C. Remove the dough from the refrigerator and spread with the apricot jam. 
5. Beat the egg whites to soft peak stage and add the caster sugar a spoonful at a time, beating continuously until you have a thick glossy meringue. Fold in the coconut.
6. Gently spread the coconut topping on top of the apricot jam. 
7. Bake for about 30 minutes until the crust is baked and the topping is crisp and golden. 
8. Cool in the tray and then cut into slices or squares.