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Chocolate Coconut Slice – It’s Fete Season

Yes, I know it’s fete season because hot on the heels of publishing a recipe for Old Fashioned Rock Cakes, I got an email from a friend asking for suggestions about what to make for a cake stall. Whilst Rock Cakes are an option, I have another old favourite up my sleeve for those who may not be so confident (though trust me, Rock Cakes are not difficult).

A fair ground ride spins in Luxor Egypt with happy fair goers enjoying an afternoon ride

You may be reading this and thinking ‘How can it be Fete Season?’ It’s May. It’s too cold’. Not in Queensland. In spring or summer it’s far too hot for schools to hold their fetes. There would be bodies passed out everywhere. Instead, we hold school fetes in May, June and even July, when the skies are blue and the weather more temperate. Having said that, everyone still gets about in hats and sunscreen. There is no day off from that fierce sun.

Where Has All The Greaseproof Gone?

Chocolate Coconut Slice is a little taste of yesterday. When I tasted the first piece of this slice after a gap of around 40 years, the memories came flooding back. The icing in particular was my own little Proustian madeleine moment. Though my mum is no baker, I recall her making a version of this on a semi regular basis to put in our lunch boxes. I think it may have been wrapped in good old greaseproof paper. That’s something you don’t see around much anymore. She also made a simple coconut slice with lemon icing, her version being baked rather than the uncooked condensed milk version.

This recipe comes from Taste.com.au. My minor adaptation has been to add shredded coconut to the mix and coconut chips for decoration. This is simply due to the fact that I had no desiccated coconut on hand, when I decided to make this. The taste remains unaltered. I’d like to think there’s a gaggle of Gen X parents out there who will see this Chocolate Coconut Slice on the cake stall and have their hands in their pockets, fishing out some change so they too can partake of this taste of yesteryear.

Chocolate Coconut Slice

from yesteryear

Chocolate Coconut Slice squares of baked, chewy chocolate slice topped with coconut

Ingredients

  • 150g butter, melted
  • 1 cup brown sugar
  • 1 egg, lightly beaten
  • 1 tspn vanilla extract
  • 1/3 cup plain flour
  • 1/3 cup self raising flour
  • 1/4 cup cocoa powder
  • 1/2 cup coconut, desiccated or shredded
  • 1 1/2 cups icing sugar
  • 1/4 cup cocoa
  • 20g butter, finely chopped
  • 2 tbsp boiling water
  • coconut to decorate

Method

  1. Place melted butter, brown sugar, egg and vanilla in a large bowl and mix until well combined
  2. Sift flours and cocoa into bowl and add coconut. Mix to combine.
  3. Grease a lamington or slice tin (approx 20cm x 30cm) and line with baking paper. Place mixture into lined tray and spread out evenly with spoon.
  4. Bake in a 180c oven for 20 – 25 minutes until slice is firm (but not hard) to touch.
  5. Remove the Chocolate Coconut Slice slice from oven and allow to cool slightly whilst icing is prepared.
  6. Icing: sift icing sugar and cocoa into a heatproof bowl. Add butter to mixture and add 1 tbspn of boiling water and start mixing. Add second tbspn boiling water and continue to mix until butter has melted and mixture is combined.
  7. Pour icing over warm slice and spread with a knife. Sprinkle with  coconut to decorate as desired and set aside to allow slice to cool.
  8. Slice into pieces in tin, once fully cooled.

Makes 12 or 24 pieces

Did you make this for your children or have this in your own lunch box? What cake or biscuit takes you down memory lane?

Chocolate coconut slice squares of baked, chewy chocolate slice topped with coconut
14 comments… add one
  • Francesca May 25, 2016, 7:42 am

    This is a classic. It reminds me of a similar one my mother used to make all the time made from Vita Brits and coconut.

    • Fiona Ryan May 25, 2016, 3:53 pm

      I haven’t heard of that version. Simpler times hey?

  • Jan Rhoades May 25, 2016, 1:45 pm

    Ah memories. I made similar the other day for our Biggest Morning Tea at Sunnybank Quilters. Kept some back and have just now finished a little piece with a wonderful cup of coffee. Yum!

    • Fiona Ryan May 25, 2016, 3:54 pm

      I tried to find your old recipe but couldn’t locate it.

  • Tandy | Lavender and Lime May 25, 2016, 2:01 pm

    I don’t think I’ve ever had one of these. I bought grease proof paper about 15 years ago and it lasted about 14 years as I seldom used it 😀

    • Fiona Ryan May 25, 2016, 3:55 pm

      It’s a basic recipe that could no doubt be adapted a dozen ways. Nothing low sugar or fat about it though. As to greaseproof, I saw someone saying it was baking paper. I think they would find their slice in a bit of a mess if they put greaseproof in the oven!

  • Joy @MyTravelingJoys May 25, 2016, 3:28 pm

    Yum! Sounds a little bit like an American brownie to me. 🙂 Chocolate chip, simple sugar or oatmeal raisin cookies were popular treats by my mom as well as her iced spice cake bars.

    • Fiona Ryan May 25, 2016, 3:57 pm

      It’s certainly not as exotic as a brownie! The iced spice bars sound nice.

  • Beck @ Goldenpudding May 25, 2016, 7:41 pm

    Fiona, this sounds just like my childhood memory of the Women’s Weekly Chocolate Coconut Slice, it was actually one of our fancier treats as it actually had icing 🙂

    • Fiona Ryan May 31, 2016, 11:48 am

      Now that you say that Beck, I’m sure this is probably where the recipe originated. We ere the same – icing was a luxury!

  • Sherry from sherryspickings May 26, 2016, 8:18 pm

    I remember mum used to make raspberry coconut slice and hedgehog and coconut ice and home made marshmallows. Aah so good. Remember rainbow paper? I used to love that around my school sandwiches.

    • Fiona Ryan May 31, 2016, 11:49 am

      Rainbow Paper! Sherry – I had forgotten all about that. It was the height of luxury and I was envious of anyone who had it. My, how times have changed. Still love a good marshmallow.

  • Gretchen May 29, 2016, 9:39 am

    Coconut and chocolate, I’m in! Will definitely have to make these. And to think I hated coconut when I was young,

    • Fiona Ryan May 31, 2016, 11:51 am

      I aim to please – not exactly low in fat or sugar but I’m sure the boys would love them!

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