Kiwi and Almond Slice

One of the reasons kiwi fruit first hit the bargain tables was that people didn't know what else to do with them except eat them fresh and garnish plates with them. That's when I got a kiwi obsession and cooked kiwi dishes till the boys thought I was possessed. My kiwi challenge was relentless. Despite the boys groaning as they saw me unloading yet another huge bag of ten-cents-a-kilo fruit into the kitchen table fruit baskets, there were nothing but pleasurable responses to the resulting dessert delights.

Combine dry ingredients and rub in butter to achieve a coarse breadcrumb consistency. Combine milk, egg and vanilla and mix in well. Spread the mixture in a greased, lined 20-25 cm square baking pan. Place the sliced kiwi fruit evenly over the top. Place flour, sugar and cinnamon in a bowl. Rub in butter until it has a rough, crumbly consistency. Incorporate almonds and spread over the kiwi fruit. Bake in a 190¡C oven for 45 minutes, or until golden. Serve warm or cold with cream.

BASE: 1 1/4 CUPS PLAIN FLOUR 1/4 CUP SUGAR 1 1/4 TSPN BAKING POWDER PINCH OF SALT 4TBSPN BUTTER 3 TBSPN MILK 1 EGG 1 TSPN VANILLA 2 CUPS PEELED AND SLICED KIWIS TOPPING: 3/4 CUP PLAIN FLOUR 1/2 CUP SOFT BROWN SUGAR 1/4TSPN CINNAMON 4 TBSPN BUTTER 1/2 CUP FLAKED ALMONDS