Pistachio and ginger slice

SLIM PICKINGS: All that remained of Sarah Burton’s delicious pistachio and ginger slice. Picture by Liam Clayton

‘The problem with a delicious slice like this is that by the time it came to take the photos for this Weekender food page, there were only four slightly-tatty pieces left,’ says Justine Tyerman. ‘Photographer Liam Clayton did his best to make it look like there were more in the bowl . . . before we scoffed the lot.’

This fabulous pistachio and ginger slice was served at a lunch the day after our daughter Bridget’s wedding last month. It was made by her mother-in-law, Sarah Burton, a serious foodie. The pistachio and ginger flavours are divine.

Ingredients:1 cup slivered almonds

½ cup hazelnuts, chopped

3 cups plain flour

1 teaspoon baking powder

3 teaspoons ground ginger

300g butter

1½ cups brown sugar

Icing:

125g butter

200g golden syrup

3 teaspoons ground ginger

1 cup chopped crystalised ginger

3 cups icing sugar

Garnish:

100g lightly toasted pistachio nuts, roughly chopped.

Method:

• Toast the slivered almonds and chopped hazelnuts in the oven at 180C for approximately 10 minutes. Keep an eye on them to make sure they don’t burn.

• Sift together the flour, baking powder, ginger.

• In a separate bowl, beat together the butter and sugar. Mix in the sifted dry ingredients and then the cooled almonds and hazelnuts.

• Press into a greased and lined 30x20 slice tin. Bake at 180C for 15 minutes until cooked through.

• For the icing, melt the butter and golden syrup over a saucepan of simmering water, then stir in the ginger, peel and icing sugar and mix until smooth. While the base is still hot, spread the topping over evenly and scatter with the toasted pistachio nuts.

• Cut when cold.

Makes 18 squares.