Variations on almond, coconut and lemon slice

This is a very popular Healthy Food Guide recipe and on my list to convert.

My children have been delighted with this process because, as usual, I made the original version first. Opinion is evenly divided between the family and other blind tastings as to whether the original or the gluten-free version is better! Here’s the conversion, with some amendments and suggestions.

Makes 20 pieces
Time to make 15 minutes + overnight chilling

Ingredients

250g gluten-free milk arrowroot biscuits*
100g ground almonds
grated rind of 1 lemon
1/3 cup desiccated coconut
100g reduced-fat spread
3 tablespoons clear liquid honey
2 tablespoons gluten-free icing sugar
juice of 1/2 lemon

Instructions

Step 1 Place biscuits in a plastic bag and bash with a rolling pin until they resemble breadcrumbs. Place in a large bowl with almonds, lemon rind and coconut.

Step 2 Melt spread and honey together over a low heat. Add to the bowl and combine until mixture starts to stick together. Press into a lined baking tin using the palm of your hand. Refrigerate overnight.

Step 3 Mix icing sugar and lemon juice in a bowl until smooth. Drizzle over the almond and coconut base. Place in the fridge until the icing sets, then cut in slices.

Notes

• *The first biscuits I used were Leda Milk Arrowroot biscuits. These biscuits are good because they are both gluten and dairy free, but they are quite strongly coconut flavoured which made the slice too ‘coconuty’ for my tastes. The second batch I made I used Freelicious Tea Biscuits, and I preferred the taste of these much more. My blind tasters couldn’t tell the difference between the two slices when I used these biscuits. At over $6 a packet, they were a lot more expensive than the milk arrowroot biscuits, so personal choice.
• I added in 1/3 cup currants to the mix, and it made for a nice variant.
• If I had a child who was gluten-free, this would make a great base for a birthday party lolly cake. Not that we would ever recommend such a thing on a Healthy Food Guide blog, but every now and again there is the requirement for such things, especially for gluten-free children.

Lisa

For those wanting more information on coeliac disease, check out the NZ Coeliac Society website www.coeliac.org.nz.

This blog is the opinion and experiences of its author and should not be taken as medical or dietetic advice. Healthy Food Guide has not verified the content and cannot endorse any advice given. Healthy Food Guide recommends seeking professional health advice for specific complaints or symptoms.