Fruit Slice (Fly cemetery!)

by Anne Lyall
(Edinburgh, Scotland)

2 cups raisins
1 cup currants
1 cup water
1 cup sugar
1 dessertspoon cornflour
1 teaspoon mixed spice

Place all ingredients in pan and boil for 3 minutes.
Put aside to cool.

PASTRY.
1 packet shortcrust pastry
or
12 ozs self raising flour
3 ozs margarine
3 ozs lard
pinch salt
water to make into stiff dough

Rub fats into flour.(fine breadcrumbs)
Add water to mix
Knead together & roll out half to line greased swiss roll tin
Spread over cooled fruit mixture and cover with other half of pastry.
Brush with milk or beaten egg.
Bake in oven 190/375/gas mark 5 fpr 20 - 30 minutes.
Sprinkle with caster sugar.


This recipe is taken from Gallery Cafe recipes. Gallery Cafe is in West Street, Penicuik, Midlothian and is run by volunteers. they serve excellent soups and homemade breads. also home baking. Their collection of recipes are all items that are sold in cafe. They also display local artworks and have an enclosed outdoor area which is a suntrap during the summer. well worth a visit. I have enjoyed many lunchtimes in their cafe when I worked in Penicuik.

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Aug 17, 2017
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Where to buy Lard in Australia NEW
by: Anonymous

Lard is usually carried in most leading supermarkets in Australia. Try Woollies or Coles. If in doubt ask the grocery manager.

Apr 13, 2017
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Western australia NEW
by: Anonymous

Anyone know where you can buy lard

Sep 18, 2016
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Love them NEW
by: Anonymous

My mother in law used to make these for me while I was driving the header on the farm but alas it's so hard to find lard for baking now

Jan 13, 2016
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Childhood memories NEW
by: Julie

My mother was a confectioner and used to make this at home for my father and me,60+years ago. I am waiting for mine to finish baking and no doubt my grandsons will love it as much as I did.

Oct 01, 2015
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Amazing
by: xD & G

i always stock up when i go home, the bakers in Sanquhar high street make a fantastic cemetery slice, i can have it all year round now instead of once a year

Aug 31, 2015
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Delicious
by: AnonymouValerie s

I commented last year in February, since then I have made it countless times. I bake voluntarily for a local cafe helping with dementia in the community. It is a great favourite! I will keep making it. Sometimes if I'm in a hurry I use mincemeat instead.

Aug 03, 2015
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Best Fruit Slice Ever!
by: Paperlady999

I first made this recipe in the spring, for a Rural show entry. I hadn't made it for over forty years, and was a bit dubious when I saw SR flour in the pastry section of the recipe. I used it, though, and Trex instead of Lard, otherwise following the recipe faithfully. It was absolutely delicious and I was pleased wi a Highly Commended, in amongst a large number of entries. On that occasion, I think I maybe should have cooked it just a wee bit longer, but I was still getting used to the oven in the house I'd moved into just two or three mo this earlier. I now have a wonderful new Neff oven and am just about to bring the fruit slice out of the oven - it looks and smells even better than last time, so fingers crossed. This one is for Kinross Show this weekend.

Apr 08, 2015
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Scarborough Fly's Cemetery
by: Anonymous

I always buy the cake at Cooplands in Scarborough. However, the Great Nice's always ask me to make the Cemetery when they visit and they enjoy baking the slice. I add a glass of dark Rum at Christmas and have Wensledale Cheese with it. When I was courting the girl friend she looked aghast when I asked for Fly Cemetery.

Feb 24, 2015
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Flies Cemetry mums way
by: Shirley

No need to boil the fruit.Try this recipe and add comment please.Quick and easy the Yorkshire way

shortcrust pastry
l pound of s.r flour
8 ounce of margarine

rub marg into flour till it resembles breadcrumbs add cold water to bind together
half the dough and roll out one piece
cover with currants, chopped garden mint and sugar
roll out left over dough and cover the currants
roll over pastry with rolling pin to flatten
brush pastry with egg and milk mixture and sprinkle lightly with caster sugar
bake for around 25 mins till lightly brown





Nov 17, 2014
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Pure Quality
by: Anonymous

thank you thank you thank you Fly pie!!!! absolutely wonderful all I can say is It was yummy!!!!!

Jul 17, 2014
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fly cemeterys
by: Joyce

Best ever i am now the official maker of them for family parties. They always come out great
Thanks for the recipe.

Mar 30, 2014
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Fly Cemetaries
by: Deedee

My dad was a baker and made them. I wouldn't eat them because I thought the were made out of real flies! Still can't bring myself to eat one.

Feb 22, 2014
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Currant Slice
by: Valerie

I love this recipe, it is amazing. My family can't get enough of it, and it is much simpler to make than I ever thought possible. The pastry is delicious too!

Dec 05, 2013
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A few added ingredients!
by: Anonymous

I like to use butter as the only fat in the pastry and by adding a couple ounces of sugar to give it a bit of a shortbread flavour. Some grated apple and maybe a grate of orange rind in the fruit just to liven it up a bit..

Nov 13, 2013
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At long last
by: Fraser carruth

I have been looking for a fly cemetery recipes for the last 6months I am the head chef/ manager at the Golspie hotel in Golspie Sutherland I am looking for any old fashion recipes sweet or savoury as we are trying to re create an old fashion Scottish welcome with food from yesteryear any recipes would be most welcome

Oct 31, 2013
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flys graveyard
by: Anonymous

here in n.ireland we call this flys graveyard,
excellent recipe.

Sep 09, 2013
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fruit slice fly cemetery
by: Anonymous

the recipe sounds lovely and am making it now but i would have loved a picture to see what it looks like

Apr 01, 2013
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Lead cake
by: PKP

We used to have this as a by product of pasties. In our family it was called lead cake and was always the most revered dessert of all. I haven't had it for a long time but hope to recreate the magic with this recipe soon.

Jan 24, 2013
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nice wee recipe
by: stevie p

similar to my brothers comments [below] i did not add syrup but did add more cinnamon ,will also try this with apple and cinnamon .

Dec 18, 2012
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Fly Cemeterys
by: 0ldog

I'm 70 now and can remember my grandma making them. She'd stand me on a stool so I could watch her make the crust. She would roll it out, slather on tabs of lard, fold it, roll it then continue the process again till she got it to the consistency she wanted. Her pastry was so flaky and when you picked up a slice it wouldn't break the way some do.

Dec 10, 2012
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Suggestion for Ed
by: Big Al

Buy a packet of traditional Eccles Cakes - http://www.lancashireecclescakes.co.uk/
available from all good supermarkets, liberally slake with Thrapple Dowser Real Ale - sit back and enjoy

Nov 29, 2012
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My kind of flys cemetery's
by: Ed

I never cook or bake, but I am determined to surprise my wife and make flies cemetery's. the trouble is, at age 70, to me , there is only one kind, and I hunt every bakery's shop to try and find them - not often found. I don't want shortbread top and bottom. I want the traditional thin flaky pastry and the fruit has to be very small currants with that delicious almost watery "sauce"
Please help me out! by the way, how can you propose a recipe without a picture of the final produced bake?! Please send me a recipe, with if possible, a picture of the goodies. I, and perhaps my wife, will be eternally grateful!
Ed
edbrumby@btconnect.com

Nov 20, 2012
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Memories
by: Anonymous

Our family came to the U.S. from Dundee. My grandmother called them fly cemeteries and my great aunt called them bug squeezers. It seems that bug squeezers has fallen out of favor, although, as a child, I always liked the name.

Oct 11, 2012
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fruit slice
by: Anonymous

I have looked all over for this recipe but when I was young in the north east it was called sly cake THANK YOU

Oct 10, 2012
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Awww Come On
by: Katie fae Highland

A packet of Jusrol ready rolled pastry and a jar of mincemeat - 20 minutes in the oven and hey presto - Fly Cemeteries!!!!

Oct 01, 2012
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How much fruit?
by: Carol

I would love to try this. Can you please tell me the weight of the currents and raisins as I don't have cups and am not sure which conversion table to use.

Aug 10, 2012
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Real Flies Cemetry
by: Diana Miller

Years ago I enjoyed flies cemetry, or for the EU folks fruit slice. One hot sunny day I was sitting in the kitchen that was attached to a small shop in Kilbarchan, Renfrewshire. The owner was busy making fruit slices when a fly landed in the mix and without batting an eye, she killed the fly and told me "Well noo, that is a fly cemetry." i have only recently started to enjoy them again!

Aug 07, 2012
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am 80 years old and I have always called them fly cemeterys
by: Anonymous

The fly cemeterys I ate as a child were delicious from the local cake shop. I was uner the impression they were made with stale cake crumbs,dried fruit and spices.As I had quite a bit of Christmas cake left I crumbed it and then set about looking for a recipe through my myriad of cook books without any success.Then decided to google and found this recipe and I will try at a later date but in the meantime does anyone have a recipe for using cake crumbs and adding extra dried fruit? Otherwise I'll make rum balls or something of that ilk.

Mar 31, 2012
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Fly Cemetery
by: Sharyn

This was the 1st time I had made this slice and it was the nicest fruit square Myself & My Husband had eaten in years.
It was WONDERFUL & I would recommend it to anyone.

Mar 25, 2012
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Fruit Slice
by: Anonymous

This is my first time in making this slice and thankyou to using your reciepe I turned out fantastic.
As my husband loves this slice.

Mar 22, 2012
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Pastry
by: Anonymous

This is my first time trying this recipe. My husband has not been well but one thing he has been partial to is a Fly Cemetary. Our local bakers does really good ones but so often they are sold out. So here I am. Trying your recipe. I must say that in my attempt to keep the pastry "short" it did not roll well. However, it is in the oven as I type and will not be pretty but hopefully, the old adage of the messier something is, the better it tastes, is true.
As they say, "the proof will be in the eating". I shall let you know.

Thank you so much for all the comments on this page. I have enjoyed reading them.
Caroline. (Scotland)

Feb 15, 2012
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Like coming home again
by: Steve Foster

Thanks for this recipe! I recently had too much fun plunking a hard-core, homemade haggis in front of twelve horrified Colonials here in Seattle, so now I want to move on to an entire menu designed to disquiet: Cullen Skink, Skirlie, Toad in the Hole, Fly Cemeteries...

It's only fitting that this recipe comes from the same Penicuik cafe I used to walk miles to for ice cream when I was a wee boy.

Feb 15, 2012
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fly cemetery
by: Anonymous

Feel exactly as Sandra - a long lost friend.

Feb 12, 2012
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At Last !!!
by: Sandra

Been looking for this recipe , my mum passed away & wasn't able to ask her but have moved to Ayrshire recently & found a baker who makes fruit slice almost as good as mums. So there I was looking online AGAIN when I remembered my Dad called it Fly Cemetary so typed that in & low & behold there it IS . Thank you very much indeed :-))

Jan 10, 2012
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Flies Graveyard
by: Marie Barrett

I've been looking to try this out for a little while and didn't want to ask the oldies for the recipe!!!!
So easy and even more surprised my my effort worked and tasted fantastic.
Now to share with my family........

Oct 22, 2011
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Fruit Slice
by: Elizabeth Barr

Dear Anne, Like most folk, i also have scoured every recipe book that i own looking for this recipe that my late Grandmother used to make. I ended up googling "fly's cemetery" after trying everything else & low & behold, your recipe popped up. Thank you from the bottom of my heart, you have made my day!

Aug 08, 2011
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Thanks a million!
by: Fiona

Hi Anne - thanks a million for this recipe - have been searching all my recipe books for it. Haven't had a 'wee fly cemetery since my Mum died! Best wishes Fiona.

Jul 08, 2011
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At Last!
by: Doris from Australia

Have just spent ages looking through my Aunt Mins old recipe books in vain. She (a Scot) used to m
ake Fly Cemetery. I can't wait to try your recipe Thank you Anne.....an old Scot from Peebles!

Feb 13, 2011
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thank you
by: ian patterson

fantastic, my mother gave me a similiar recipe on a wee piece of paper and i lost it, made yours, my mother 74 tasted it and said "you bought it" though i did add cinnamon 2tsp and 2 tbls of syrup when boiling the raisons , by mistake, seems this suits the our tastebuds, i thank you

Dec 17, 2010
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Fly Cemetery?!
by: Ann from Napa

Hi, Anne,

Growing up in Queens, NY in the late /40's, our neighbors hailed from Scotland. They shared their 'Raisin and Currant Squares with us and for the rest of her life my mother made these delicious treats for us at holidays. I've continued the tradition and now make them for my grandchildren. But in looking for a recipe for the crust that doesn't require lard, Fly Cemeteries kept popping up. Finally, I opened your page and got really lucky! Thanks, not only for the slight differences in ingredients, but also for the warm and colorful comments. I'll be back.

Dec 06, 2010
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Fingers crossed
by: Rubbishbaker007

I have just copied your recipe for fruit slice. If it works out I will have gained unending brownie points from my father-in-law, every little helps x I was a chef for years but baking.....that is a whole other ball game and to be honest I am rubbish. I have a date loaf in the oven as we speak but I didn't bank on it rising so much and it has now baked through the top wire shelf in the oven!!!!

I may need therapy, and a very strong oven cleaner.

Thanks for posting the recipe,

Catriona Fort William xx


Aug 11, 2010
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At last!
by: Helen

Have just made this for our Church Afternoon Teas and it has gone down a storm! I'm not much of a baker and to get the compliments I got for this was just great! Now marked down as a recipe that is tried and tested!

May 29, 2010
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Papa Chappy`s Flie Seemetry..
by: Anonymous

It has to be made with "puff pastry"....forked so it doesn`t rise.....fruit marinaded in sugar , pastry sprinkled with sugar........my Grandad was a master baker and his recipe was sinilar to the above :-)

May 25, 2010
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Fly Cemetery
by: Deborah, Surrey

A friend and I were reminiscing at the weekend about our mothers baking when we were growing up and "fly cemetery" came up. I decided to google it in the hope of finding it's proper name and straight away up came your page. Can't wait to try the recipe - thank you.

Feb 23, 2010
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Bingo!
by: Margaret F, Aberdeen

I should have known that I would eventually find a recipe for 'Fly's Cemetery'. Going to try this recipe this afternoon, only using a jar of mincemeat - hope it works. Next time though the proper ingredients, but I can't wait until I next shop! Thanks for this.

M

Feb 11, 2010
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QUERY
by: Sandra

Not too sure if I did something wrong but the "sauce" was very runny. As soon as I put it on the pastry the sultanas stayed put but all the juice stuff ran all over the tray and made a terrible mess.

Should I have boiled it for longer to further reduce the mixture? The recipe was not clear as to what consistency it should be.

Otherwise, thank you for sharing this recipe.

Dec 04, 2009
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A rose by any other name?
by: Albany Scot

Traveling from Edinburgh to Aberdeen I stopped at a road side petrol and cafeteria delighted to see the familiar filled pastry squares...I said to the young woman at the counter.."Please tell me what that is called" She responded "Scotch Frrrruit slice" I turned to my traveling companion and said.."Woody ,it still looks like granny's Fly cemetery to me" An older woman farther down the counter asked " who said that?" she came over and leaning over the counter said "It's still fly cemetery to us. We have to call it fruit slice for the EU board. It can't be called fly cemetery unless it has flies in it!"

May 15, 2009
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Googled search a hit!
by: felicity

I have memories of this growing up in the 60's, but years later when I asked my mother for the recipe, she couldn't remember much about it, so when I plugged "fly cemetry" into google I wasn't expecting much as thought that the name was what our family used to describe it and not a universal name. I can't wait to try it

May 13, 2009
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Great Recipe
by: mary

Hi Anne
This was a fantastic recipe I have been looking for a fruit slice recipe for years.

I made it for a coffee evening and it went down a treat, also made a batch for the line dancers.
My family and myself can't get enough of it and it is so easy to make.

Hope to visit you at the Gallery cafe during the summer it sounds lovely.

Mar 01, 2009
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Great Contribution
by: May

Hi Anne
This is a great recipe. In fact I've had an email from one of the visitors to the site actually looking for it. But I couldn't find it anywhere. So I really appreciate you sharing it. Never made it before, but must try it sometime.

Gallery Cafe sounds a great place to go. Might have a wee run out there when the weather gets warmer.

Thanks Anne,
May

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