Macadamia Shortcake Slice
250g butter, softened to room temperature
3/4 cup superfine sugar
4, 60g eggs
2 cups self-raising flour, sifted
200g (1 1/2 cups) macadamia halves
6 Tablespoons warmed apricot conserve
1 Tablespoon extra castor sugar
Preheat oven to 180C / 350F. Grease a 30cm x20cm x 3-4cm (12 x 8 x 1 1/2 inch) deep pan and line the base with baking paper.
1. Beat butter and sugar together in a bowl until thick and creamy, about 5 minutes. Beat in eggs one at a time beating well after each addition.
2. Stir in flour and half the macadamias well to make quite a stiff mixture.
3. Using a spatula spread half the cake mixture over the pan base and spoon over the warm conserve.
4. Spread over remaining cake mixture to reach pan sides. Press in remaining macadamias and sprinkle with castor (superfine) sugar.
5. Bake for 25-30 minutes or until a skewer inserted comes out clean. Cover with baking paper if macadamias brown too much.
6. Remove, stand 5 minutes before turning out onto a rack to cool. Cut into 24, 5cm (2 inch) squares.