The Best Traybake Recipe Ever!

Firstly, can I just say how much I love the term traybake! Having grown up in Australia, this kind of thing would be called a slice, which in my opinion is silly and misleading. Even more ridiculous than the term slice, is the original name of this traybake recipe. I can't remember which recipe book that it came out of but it was called "Basic Fruit Cookie". I don't know of anyone who calls a slice/traybake a cookie. I could really be putting my foot in it here but I have genuinely never heard the term cookie used to describe this kind of thing before.

Anyway, this recipe that I am going to share has been one that I have baked at least 50 times in my life, if not more and it is quick and easy and infinitely adaptable to whatever you have on hand. I first discovered this recipe when I was about 14 years old and it was an instant favourite in our house. I hadn't made it for ages but came across it again recently when I was doing a cull of food magazines and cutting out and glueing in the good recipes into my recipe book. Having rediscovered this gem, I have made it about 5 times and probably eaten much more of it than is good for me.

I've also been playing around with the flavours since the original recipe has loads of dried fruit and not everyone is keen on dried fruit. Personally, I think dried fruit is delicious and amazing but I understand if that's not you.

The recipe comes out of the oven smelling amazing and having the texture of a brownie. It's quite easy to eat three or four pieces before it has had time to cool. In fact, the hardest thing is not eating the entire traybake before the day is out. This is definitely one of those recipes that if Nigella had made it, she would sneak out of bed and polish a few slices off as a midnight feast.

So, here is the recipe, I'll put grams and ounces just in case. (Most of the recipes that I have gotten from my mum or grandma are all in ounces and it makes me feel all 1950's domestic goddess when I measure in ounces.)

Basic Fruit Cookie/Slice/Traybake

125g (4oz) butter

155g (5oz) brown sugar (I have used caster sugar in this recipe and it was still fab)

1 egg

185g (6oz) self-raising flour

1 teaspoon nutmeg

1 teaspoon cinnamon

155g (5oz) mixed dried fruit

Method

Melt butter and sugar in a saucepan. Transfer to a bowl, stir in the egg and mix well. Add flour and spices and lastly the fruit (or whatever you are adding in - I added stem ginger and dark chocolate once and it was delicious!).

Mix together and press into a flat tin, approx 18 x 26cm (I wet my hands and press it flat with my fingers). Place in a preheated, moderate oven,180°C (350°F) for about 15 minutes. (Don't be tempted to cook it for much longer otherwise it will be a bit dry and you won't get that fabulous brownie-like squishiness)

Cool slightly until cookie mixture is just warm to the fingertips (about 10 minutes), then cut into slices. Do not remove from the tin until completely cold (this made me laugh when I re-read the recipe as I have always lifted it out of the tin and cut it into slices on a chopping board and then left to cool on a rack, thus enabling me to eat a few slices whiles it is still warm)

Enjoy and please let me know if you make this and what other flavours you have tried.