My Nanny's Spicy Top Walnut and Fruit Bars

This is a funny recipe. My Japanese Grandmother got the recipe from an American magazine in the 50's and cooked it for her English family. She used to cook these bars for us when we were kids and I promise I've never tasted anything like it since. It's the quickest, easiest recipe and the bars keep for days. I just had one with a cup of Earl Grey, it's crazy how taste can bring back the memory of someone just like a photo or a smell.

It's not like I've not come across nutmeg or cinnamon or walnuts but I suppose it's more than that, it's the combination, the smell as it comes out of the oven and the texture, it's got a great texture.

It's made me miss my Nanny a lot today but it's good to reflect and look back at fond memories with a cup of tea, cake and some peace and quiet.  

I'm going to be lazy and not list the ingredients here as I reckon you can make them out from the photo! But I'll type out the method...

Separate an egg

Cream together the butter and sugar til fluffy and pale

Sift in the SRflour, bicarb and salt..

Tip in to an un-greased tin and push down with your fingers into the base and will form a dough. Make the edges a little rasied..

Mix the nuts, cinnamon, nutmeg, ground cloves, mixed peel and sugar in a bowl..

Mix together with an egg yolk

Spread onto the base leaving space around the edges and push down gently

Decorate with glace cherries for that retro look hehe and pop into the oven for 20 mins at 180C until brown

See how the edges have puffed up around the topping?

Cool and cut into squares. My favourite squares are the ones with the crunchy edges!