Fig and date shortbread slice recipe

Step 1

Preheat oven to 180°C. Grease a 20cm x 30cm lamington pan and line with baking paper.

Step 2

Combine flour, icing sugar and orange zest in a large bowl. Add butter and, using your fingertips, rub into the flour mixture until fine crumbs. Add 1 egg and 1/4 cup (60ml) iced water and use a butter knife to stir to combine. Gently knead, then divide into two. Flatten into discs and wrap in plastic wrap. Chill for 1 hour or until firm.

Step 3

Meanwhile, for the fig and date filling, brew chai in 11/2 cups (375ml) boiling water. Discard teabags. Place tea in a medium saucepan over medium heat with remaining ingredients. Cook, stirring occasionally, for 13-15 minutes until most of the liquid has been absorbed and fruit has broken down to a rough paste. Cool completely.

Step 4

Place one pastry disc on a lightly floured surface and roll out to a rough 30cm x 40cm rectangle, about 4mm thick. Transfer to prepared pan, leaving excess pastry overhanging. Spread over the fig mixture. Roll out the remaining pastry disc to a 20cm x 30cm rectangle and place over the fig mixture. Press edges of pastry pieces together, then trim the excess pastry. Use a fork to crimp the edges together to seal.

Step 5

Whisk remaining egg in a small bowl and brush over pastry. Sprinkle with demerara sugar and bake for 50-55 minutes until golden brown. Cool in pan completely, then slice into bars to serve.