lemon slice'n it up

I've made this recipe twice in one week now. Mmm. It's good. Nice lemony tang. First time I overcooked it a little (the time I give should be right now), but keep an eye on it as it browns quickly. I also added loads of shredded coconut to the topping on the first batch which was really nice too.

Preheat oven to 180 degrees and line a 18cm x 28cm lamington pan. Lining it means you can lift the whole thing out to slice it after it's cooked.

1 1/2 cups plain flour
1/2 cup icing sugar
150g melted butter
Combine these together and press the mixture into the pan. Bake for 15 minutes.

400g sweetened condensed milk (low fat version works great)
1 egg
1 medium to large lemon - rind and juice
2 tbsp plain flour
1 tsp baking powder

Mix together sweetened condensed milk and egg, then add the rest of the ingredients and mix well until combined. Return to the oven and bake for about 20 minutes (watch it) or until the topping is set.

Allow to cool in pan. Refrigerate. Cut into squares and sprinkle with icing sugar before serving.

Jamie and Fran's chocolate biscotti

This recipe comes from a book I bought in a second hand book store in Berkeley CA many years ago. It's called Cooking with Friends, as in the TV show friends (published 1995). Here it is on Amazon.

There's loads of yummy looking recipes, but mostly I love the fancy photos of the cast and quotes from the tv show. This recipe is described as follows:

When the women from Mad About You walk into Central Perk, they mistake Phoebe for Ursula and think she's working a second job. They tell Phoebe they want two lattes and some biscotti. Phoebe says "good choice" and sits down. Eventually Jamie and Fran find a waiter and get some of the biscotti with macadamia nuts.

2 cups plain flour
1/2 cup unsweetened cocoa
1 tsp baking soda
1/4 tsp salt
6 tbs (3/4 stick) unsalted butter, softened
1 cup sugar
2 large eggs
1 tsp vanilla extract
1 cup macadamia nuts (I used pistachio)

Preheat oven to 350 (180 celcius). Grease and flour a large baking sheet and set aside.

Mix flour, cocoa, baking soda and salt together. set aside. cream butter, sugar, eggs and vanilla until smooth. Stir in the dry ingredients until well combined. The dough will be stiff and fairly dry. Stir through the nuts.

Turn the dough onto a floured surface. Divide into 2 and roll each half into a log that measures about 12 inches long and 2 inches wide. Transfer the logs to the prepared baking sheet, leaving room for them to expand.

Bake until firm to touch. About 35 minutes.

Remove from the oven. Where an oven mitt to hold the logs in place. Use a serrated knife to cut them on the diagonal into 3/4inch thick pieces.
lay them on their side on the baking sheet and return to the oven for abut 5 - 10 minutes or until crisp.

Cool on racks and store in airtight containers for weeks. If they last that long.

Makes about 28 biscotti.

Other favourite quotes from the book...
Ross: I just thought we'd go out to dinner. And then I'd bring her back to my place and I'd introduce her to my monkey.
Chandler: And he's not speaking metaphorically.

Rachel: I'm not just waitressing. I... I... also write the specials on the specials board and... and I take the dead flowers out of the vase... and sometimes Auturo lets me put the chocolate blobbies on the cookies.

Monica: Hey, great skirt. Birthday present?
Rachel: yeah.
Monica: from who?
Rachel: From you. I exchanged the blouse you got me.