Chocolate & coconut bars

'These chocolately treats are perfect for picnics and parties'

Rachel Allen, 'Bake' p19

This post follows on from my previous entry (Dutch apple cake).  As part our church fundraising week, it was announced that there would be a bake sale.  This was to take place after the service, and before we went in for lunch and the talent auction.  Seemed a lot to fit in but hey-ho, double opportunity to flex my baking muscles!  Couldn't see much sign of a bake sale after the service, and I asked a few people - including the minister's wife - who all looked at me as if I was nuts.  Bake sale, what bake sale?!  Eventually I asked somebody who said "oh yes, that was cancelled as it was felt to be too much!"

Oops, must have missed that one! Still, it was an extra contribution for lunch and they were polished off, so my efforts weren't wasted.

I'd chosen to make these for the sale as Nigel isn't a big fan of coconut, so if I'd made them at home, would probably have ended up eating them all myself! (When we have a box of chocolates, he usually gets his mitts on them first and I get left with coconut; nougat and Turkish Delight.  Not that I really mind, any chocolate is fine with me!)  If you like Bounty bars, you'll definitely enjoy these.  They have an unusual crunchy texture from the cornflakes.  Here's the recipe if you'd like it...

• 225g (8oz) butter, softened
• 150g (5oz) golden caster sugar
• 150g (5oz) desiccated coconut
• 75g (3oz) crushed cornflakes
• Pinch of salt
• 150g (5oz) self-raising flour, sifted
• 25g (1oz) cocoa powder, sifted
• 175g (6oz) good-quality dark chocolate
• 18 x 28cm (7 x 11in) Swiss roll tin

1. Preheat the oven to 180C/350F/GM4.  Butter or line the Swiss roll tin with greaseproof paper.
2. Cream the butter in a large bowl, or in an electric food mixer until soft.  Add the sugar and beat until the mixture is light and fluffy.  Add the coconut; cornflakes and salt, then gradually add the sifted flour and cocoa powder and bring the mixture together to form a fairly dry dough.
3. Place the dough in the prepared tin, and spread it out evenly (Rachel suggests placing a layer of cling film over the mixture, and rolling it with a rolling pin or empty jam jar)
4. Remove the cling film, if used.  Bake in the oven for 20 minutes, or until dry to the touch.  Allow to cool in the tin.
5. Melt the chocolate in a heatproof bowl set over a saucepan of simmering water, then spread over the cooled biscuit base in the tin.  Place somewhere cool (preferably not the fridge) until the chocolate has hardened, then cut into about 16 bars.  

I'm thinking of trying out this recipe with cherries, instead of coconut.  I really love the combination of dark chocolate and cherries, although I suppose then I might have to share with my husband. Hmmm...