Lemon Slices with Coconut Topping recipe by Rita Martin (Robin Hood Flour Mills Limited)

✨ A Zesty Delight: Lemon Slices with Coconut Topping ✨
Let us embark on another culinary adventure, this time with a recipe that sings of citrus and coconuta delightful confection that balances tartness and sweetness in every bite. Here is the recipe, as it was written:
**LEMON SLICES** 🍋
**BASE**
1 cup sifted VELVET Cake and PASTRY FLOUR 🌾
2 tablespoons icing sugar 🍚
1/2 cup butter 🧈
Blend together with fingers. Pat firmly into greased 8-inch square pan. Bake at 300F for 20 minutes. ⏲️
**FILLING**
1 large apple, grated 🍎
1 lemon (juice and grated rind) 🍋
1 teaspoon butter 🧈
COMBINE and stir over low heat until thickened. "
**TOPPING**
1 tablespoon melted butter 🧈
2 cups shredded coconut 🥥
1 egg 🥚
3/4 cup sugar 🍚
BEAT egg and add sugar gradually. Add melted butter and coconut.
SPREAD filling on partially-baked base. Cover with topping.
BAKE in oven turned up to moderate, 350F.
COOL thoroughly and cut in squares.
YIELD: 16 large or 25 small squares. ✂️
A Slice of History 🕰️
Lemon slices, or lemon squares, are a beloved treat with roots in European and American baking traditions.
The combination of a buttery base, tangy filling, and sweet topping reflects a love for contrasting textures and flavors.
This particular recipe, with its addition of grated apple and coconut, adds a unique twist to the classic lemon bar.
It's a testament to the ingenuity of home bakers who sought to elevate simple ingredients into something extraordinary.
Cultural Significance 🍋
Lemon desserts have long been cherished for their ability to brighten even the dreariest of days. In many cultures, lemons symbolize freshness and vitality. The addition of coconut, a tropical ingredient, brings a touch of exoticism, making this recipe a delightful fusion of flavors. Perfect for afternoon tea -, bake sales, or a sweet ending to a family meal, these lemon slices are a versatile treat that transcends seasons.
The Ingredients: A Symphony of Flavors 🎶
Let us delve into the components that make this recipe sing:
1. **Velvet Cake and Pastry Flour** 🌾: This finely milled flour ensures a tender, delicate base. Its low protein content prevents toughness, making it ideal for shortbread-like crusts.
2. **Icing Sugar** 🍚: Also known as powdered sugar, it sweetens the base without adding graininess. It's fine texture contributes to the smoothness of the crust.
3. **Butter** 🧈: In both the base and the filling, butter adds richness and flavor. It binds the dry ingredients in the base and enriches the filling, creating a harmonious balance.
4. **Apple** 🍎: The grated apple in the filling adds natural sweetness and moisture, complementing the tartness of the lemon. It's a clever way to balance flavors and create a luscious texture.
5. **Lemon (Juice and Rind)** 🍋: The star of the show! Lemon juice provides the signature tang, while the grated rind adds aromatic oils that enhance the flavor. Together, they create a bright, refreshing filling.
6. **Shredded Coconut** 🥥: This tropical gem adds chewiness and a hint of sweetness to the topping. Toasting it beforehand could deepen its flavor, but untoasted, it remains delightfully light.
7. **Egg** 🥚: The binding agent in the topping, the egg helps the coconut mixture adhere to the filling, creating a cohesive layer.
8. **Sugar** 🍚: Granulated sugar sweetens the topping, balancing the tartness of the lemon and the richness of the coconut.
A Closer Look at Robin Hood's Velvet Brand Cake and Pastry Flour 🌾
Ah, the Velvet brand from Robin Hood Flour Millsa name that resonates with bakers across Canada and beyond! 🇨🇦 Robin Hood, a beloved and iconic Canadian brand, has been a staple in kitchens since its founding in 1909. Known for its commitment to quality and consistency, Robin Hood has earned the trust of generations of home bakers and professional pastry chefs alike. Among its many offerings, the Velvet brand Cake and Pastry Flour stands out as a true gem, a product specifically crafted for those who seek perfection in their baked goods.
The Velvet brand flour is a testament to Robin Hood's dedication to the art of baking. Milled to an exceptionally fine texture, this flour is designed to create the lightest, most tender cakes and pastries imaginable. Its low protein content (around 8-9%) ensures that gluten development is minimal, resulting in a delicate crumb that practically melts in your mouth. This makes it the ideal choice for recipes like our Lemon Slices, where the base needs to be tender yet sturdy enough to support the luscious filling and topping.
A Nod to Rita Martin: The Voice of Robin Hood Flour 🎙️
Let's celebrate a figure who became synonymous with the Robin Hood brand and its beloved Velvet flour - Rita Martin.
For decades, Rita Martin was the friendly, reassuring voice of Robin Hood Flour, guiding home bakers through recipes and techniques with her warm and approachable demeanor. As the host of the Robin Hood Homemakers' Broadcast on CBC Radio, Rita became a household name, offering tips, tricks, and encouragement to countless Canadians as they baked their way through life.
Rita Martin's connection to Robin Hood Flour Mills was more than just professional; it was deeply personal. She understood the challenges and joys of home baking, and her broadcasts reflected that. Whether she was explaining how to achieve the perfect pie crust 🥧 or demonstrating the virtues of Velvet Cake and Pastry Flour, Rita's advice was always practical, clear, and infused with a sense of camaraderie. She made baking feel accessible, even to those who might have been intimidated by the thought of sifting flour or creaming butter.
Her influence extended beyond the radio waves. Rita authored cookbooks and pamphlets filled with tested recipes, many of which featured Robin Hood's Velvet flour. These recipes, like our Lemon Slices, were designed to showcase the flour's unique qualitiesits ability to create tender, delicate baked goods that delighted the palate. Rita's legacy lives on in the kitchens of those who grew up listening to her voice or following her recipes, and in the continued popularity of Robin Hood's products.
The Method: A Dance of Precision and Patience '
1. **The Base**: Sifting the flour and blending it with icing sugar ensures a fine, crumbly texture. Pressing it firmly into the pan creates a sturdy foundation for the filling. Baking it partially sets the stage for the layers to come.
2. **The Filling**: Cooking the grated apple with lemon juice, rind, and butter transforms these simple ingredients into a thick, fragrant mixture. The apple's natural pectin helps the filling set, while the lemon provides its characteristic zing.
3. **The Topping**: Beating the egg and gradually adding sugar creates a smooth, glossy mixture. Incorporating the melted butter and coconut results in a rich, chewy topping that contrasts beautifully with the tangy filling.
4. **Assembly and Baking**: Spreading the filling over the partially baked base and covering it with the topping is a moment of culinary artistry. Baking at 350F ensures the topping sets and the flavors meld together.
5. **Cooling and Cutting**: Patience is key! Allowing the slices to cool thoroughly ensures clean cuts and perfect squares.
Final Thoughts 🎉
This recipe is a celebration of contrasts - tart and sweet, tender and chewy, simple and sophisticated. It invites you to play with flavors and textures, making it a versatile addition to your baking repertoire. Whether enjoyed with a cup of tea - or shared at a gathering, these lemon slices are sure to bring smiles.
So, preheat your oven, gather your ingredients, and let the aroma of lemon and coconut fill your kitchen. Bon apptit! 🍴✨
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