Pistachio, Fig & Honey Tray Bake

• Sweet Mediterranean flavours.
• No cane sugar, wheat free.
• Rich caramel flavour with a mellow nuttiness.
• A cross between a cake and a tart.
• Makes around 24 5cm(2 inch) squares.

Wholemeal Spelt Flour, Organic 1kg (Doves Farm)

175g Wholemeal Spelt Flour. This flour can sometimes be tolerated by those who can’t eat wheat. This provides a wholesome base for this cake.

Cuisine Coconut Oil 610ml, Organic & Odourless (Biona)

250g (75g for the base; 175g for the filling) Deodorised Coconut Butter. This is a healthier alternative to butter or margarine. No taste or aroma of coconut to conflict with the other flavours in this recipe.

Organic Coconut Sugar (1kg) - Sussex Wholefoods

250g Coconut Sugar. This rich caramel flavoured sweetener is the perfect complement to pistachios.

Ground Almonds (Almond Powder) 1kg (Healthy Supplies)

175g Ground Almonds. The main ingredient in a Bakewell Tart and featured here too!

Unsalted Pistachios (1kg) - Sussex WholeFoods

100g Raw Shelled Pistachios. These pistachios have no added sugar or salt making them perfect for baking.

Vanilla Paste 100ml (Little Pod)

1 tsp Vanilla Paste.

Clear English Honey 340g by Littleover Apiary

4 Tbsp Clear Honey. We chose this clear, runny British honey as it has a mild flavour and a gentle sweetness.

Lerida Figs 1kg (Healthy Supplies)

350g of Lerida Figs. You could use any dried or semi-dried figs.

Other Ingredients

• 2-3 Tbsp Water (to bring the dough together)
• 2 medium eggs
• 50g Butter

Method

1. Pre-heat the oven to 200°c/Fan 180°c , Gas Mark 6.
2. Line the base of a 4cm/2inch deep rectangular baking tin with baking parchment. [Ours measured approximately 4cm x 30cm x 21cm (2 x 8 x 12inches)]
3. Put the flour into a mixing bowl or food processor. Add 75g of coconut butter and combine to make breadcrumbs. Then add some of the water and bring the ingredients together to form a dough.
4. Roll out the dough into a rough rectangle and transfer swiftly but gently into the base of the baking tray.
5. Press the dough into the corners and even out the surface. Prick with a fork. Cover with foil and baking beans if you have them. Bake blind for around 15 minutes. Remove the foil and bake for a further 5 minutes. Remove from the oven
6. In the meantime whizz the dried figs in a food processor or chop into pieces and squash with the back of a fork. Then mix with the honey. Depending on how dry the figs are you may need to add more honey or a little sunflower oil.
7. Spread the fig paste evenly over the pastry base. Do this gently with the back of a fork or using your fingertips so as not to break the pastry base.
8. Grind the 50g of the pistachios into a powder using a coffee grinder. Put these into the food processor or a large mixing bowl. Add the Ground Almonds, Vanilla Paste, the 50g butter and 175g Coconut Butter, Coconut Sugar and eggs.
9. Mix all the ingredients together until you have a batter with a dropping consistency.
10. Using a spatula pour the batter over the fig paste and cover the entire surface evenly.
11. Roughly crush the remaining pistachios and sprinkle liberally over the surface of the cake batter.
12. Place in the centre of the oven for around 35-40 minutes or until the surface is golden brown.
13. Check on the tray bake halfway through and cover with foil if necessary to prevent the nuts from burning.
14. The mixture will remain slightly moist. This is normal. Remove the from the oven and allow to cool slightly before cutting into squares. Can be enjoyed warm or cold.
15. Serve as is or with a dollop of Creme Fraiche or thick Greek Yoghurt. Stores well in the fridge for several days and indeed we found the flavour improved even further.