Lemon Verbena Oat Slice

Lemon Verbena Oat Slice by New Zealand Herbal Brew

This recipe is based on a ginger crunch recipe where lemon verbena replaces the ground ginger.  Lots of variations can be made to the recipe to suit your taste or what is in your pantry; try adding ½ cup of pistachios to the base, or perhaps ½ cup of pumpkin seeds, dried apricots could also be added in place of the currants – the options are endless.

The lemon verbena adds a complex, lemony-grassy-earthy flavour to the slice which is really delicious.  Use a high-speed blender, coffee grinder or mortar and pestle to powder the lemon verbena.

Base Ingredients

  • 150g butter
  • 2 tablespoons golden syrup
  • ½ cup sugar
  • ¾ cup desiccated coconut
  • 1 ½ cups rolled oats
  • ¾ cup flour
  • 1 ½ teaspoons baking powder
  • 2 tablespoons
    ground lemon verbena
  • ½ cup currants
  • grated zest of 1 lemon

Icing Ingredients:

  • 4 tablespoons butter
  • 8 tablespoons icing sugar
  • 4 teaspoons golden syrup
  • 2 teaspoons ground lemon verbena
  • plus desiccated coconut to sprinkle over

Method

  1. Preheat the oven to 180C. 
  2. Line a rectangular sponge roll tin with baking paper.
  3. Melt the butter with the golden syrup in a small saucepan. 
  4. Mix all of the remaining base ingredients together in a large bowl, then pour the melted butter mixture over the dry ingredients and mix well.  
  5. Press into the tin and bake for 15-20 minutes or until golden in colour.
  6. To make the icing, melt the butter and golden syrup together
    in a small saucepan.
  7. Remove from the heat and add the icing sugar and lemon verbena and mix well.  It may take a
    minute or two of mixing to incorporate the butter into the mixture. 
  8. Pour over the base and spread evenly with a spatula. 
  9. Sprinkle over the coconut. 
  10. Allow to cool completely before cutting. 

Store in an airtight container for up to 5 days.