I LOVE easy and uncomplicated baking that serves the satisfying purpose of filling your home full of heartwarming smells from yesteryear!

My Nana used to bake us jammy coconut slices when we visited her.

What I love about this recipe is its simplicity, having a crumbly biscuit base sandwiched together between oozing raspberry jam and a crunchy coconut topping.

All this makes a bountylicious bake if you’re looking for a sweet treat from the past.

The original recipe used only jam and was called a rich jam cake, and I guess it was first published after the war in the early Be-Ro booklets which promoted Tomas Bell’s business.

Tomas was the man who founded the Newcastle wholesale grocery firm selling Bell’s Royal baking powder and self-raising flour.

Sadly after the death of Edward Vll it became illegal to use the Royal name, so as a result of this the first two letters of the brand name were used, and turned it into the catchy sounding Be-Ro which is still a popular high street name today.

Be-Ro recipe booklets were first published in 1923 with edition 41 being the latest publication today.

Looking through my collection of old and trusted Be-Ro booklets I stumbled on an entry for a coconut treat that was simple and constrained.

This is all that is good about family baking from the past, using good, honest and simple ingredients along with home-made produce, such as jam.

This recipe is not showy or blouse y: it’s comforting and wholesome with the combination of jam and coconut being quite frankly sublime and without the nasties.

This is unlike today’s laden iced cupcakes and multi-layered bright coloured rainbow cakes.

The coconut jam slice showcases all that is good about nostalgic baking from our childhood, and it’s one recipe to try out again.

It’s one of those bakes that’s delicious and crispy once out of the oven, but seems to get a bit softer and moist the next day when the coconut makes friends with the jam overnight.

The jam can be any you have at hand.

A good tip from me is to warm the jam slightly first before spreading it over the biscuit base, as it does make it a bit easier to spread out evenly.

Simple the recipe may be, but it’s certainly put a smile on many a face at the teatime table over the years. Also, it’s a tasty sustenance with a cup of tea and a long chat with friends, and surely that’s not Switch to knowledge gone out of fashion today?

I for one will continue to bake it!

I have two slices left now, I’m away to pop the kettle on and enjoy one more slice before their all vanish with the added obstruction of a slavering dog in the kitchen with a puddle of drool.

Who said the jammy coconut slice has gone out of fashion? Not my dog....