Festive Fruit and Nut Slice (Bars)

• 1 12 cups glace cherries (300 grams)
• 2 cups natural almonds (260g)
• 1 cup sultana (150g)
• 1 sheet frozen shortcrust pastry or 1 sheet frozen gluten-free shortcrust pastry
• 100 g butter
• 13 cup maple syrup or 13 cup golden syrup
• 2 eggs
• 1 teaspoon vanilla essence
• 2 tablespoons plain flour or 2 tablespoons gluten-free flour
• 80 g dark chocolate, to decorate (optional)

1. Preheat your oven to 200C and line a 24cm square cake tin with baking paper.
2. Press in the thawed pastry, lifting the edges to form a 1cm rim.
3. Prick the pastry base with a fork all over.
4. Scatter the cherries and the almonds evenly over the pastry, Then fill the gaps with sultanas.
5. Set aside.
6. Melt the butter and syrup together.
7. Allow to cool.
8. Beat in the eggs, vanilla and flouur into the cooled melted butter and syrup mixture.
9. Pour this evenly over the pastry base and bake for approx 35 minutes, until the filling is set and firm to the touch.
10. When cool, carefully slide onto a board & cut into rectangles.
11. If desired decorate with melted chocolate by drizzling in lines over the top.

glace cherries, natural almonds, shortcrust pastry, butter, maple syrup, eggs, vanilla essence, flour, chocolate

Taken from www.food.com/recipe/festive-fruit-and-nut-slice-bars-465305 (may not work)