Gooseberry slice

This one is pure magic for me :). A delicate, refreshing gooseberry slice made with a light sponge, tangy gooseberry filling, whipped cream, biscuits and lemon icing. An absolute hit! It’s easy to make and uses the gooseberries that are just coming into season in our gardens – and you’ll need a whole kilogram here! This slice is even better the next day, when the biscuits on top have softened slightly from the lemon icing and taken on a wonderfully citrusy flavour… Definitely one to save!

Ingredients for the sponge:

• 3 large eggs
• ½ cup caster sugar
• 70 ml rapeseed or sunflower oil
• 150 g plain flour
• ½ tsp baking powder

All ingredients should be at room temperature.

Separate the eggs. Place the egg whites in the bowl of a stand mixer and whisk until stiff. Gradually add the sugar, one tablespoon at a time, whisking continuously. Add the egg yolks, one at a time, continuing to whisk. Slowly drizzle in the oil while continuing to whisk. Sift the flour and baking powder and gently fold into the batter using a spatula.

Pour the batter into a 23 × 33 cm baking tin lined with baking paper and level the surface.

Bake at 170°C for approximately 20–25 minutes, or until a skewer inserted into the centre comes out clean. Remove from the oven and leave to cool.

Ingredients for the gooseberry layer:

• 1 kg gooseberries, topped and tailed
• ¾ cup sugar
• 2 packets vanilla or cream-flavoured custard powder (unsweetened); each packet intended for 500 ml milk

Place the gooseberries in a saucepan, sprinkle with the sugar and add ½ cup water. Cover with a lid and bring to the boil.

In a cup, mix the custard powders with the remaining ½ cup water. Add the mixture to the gooseberries, bring to the boil and cook briefly, stirring continuously. Remove from the heat.

Spread the hot gooseberry custard over the sponge layer, level the surface and leave to cool.

Additionally:

• 750 ml double cream, chilled
• 1 tbsp icing sugar
• 200 g butter biscuits

Whip the double cream with the icing sugar until stiff. Spread over the gooseberry layer and level the surface. Arrange the butter biscuits on top, placing them closely together. Cover with the lemon icing. Chill in the fridge, preferably overnight.

Ingredients for the lemon icing:

• 1 cup icing sugar
• 4 tbsp lemon juice

Combine the ingredients and mix with the back of a spoon until smooth. If the icing is too thick, add more lemon juice. If it is too runny, add more icing sugar and mix again.

The gooseberry slice should be stored in the fridge.

Note: During hot weather, you can stabilise the whipped cream layer with 3 tsp gelatine.

Enjoy!

 

Recipe adapted from “Pyza na drodze smaku”.