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Cherry Ripe Slice

This easy no-bake slice creates the most sublime cherry ripe experience.
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or scroll for handy tips and a little nostalgia.

cherry ripe slice

This Cherry Ripe Slice recipe involves absolutely no baking.

And, yes, it’s as good as it looks.

It’s one of my mum’s old recipes and was yet another of my childhood favourites.

cherry ripe slice 1

Cherry Ripe Slice: everybody’s favourite

This slice is based on the popular Cherry Ripe Bar, which has been consistently voted as Australia’s favourite chocolate bar. It’s true, just take a look at this news poll and these survey results.

It’s also one of Australia’s oldest chocolate bars, introduced in 1924.

cherry ripe advertisement
A newspaper advertisement for the popular Cherry Ripe Bar from the mid 1950’s.

Cherry Ripe Slice no bake: the ingredients

To make Cherry Ripe Clice you’ll just need these widely available ingredients:

  • milk coffee biscuits (or any other plain, sweet biscuits)
  • desiccated coconut
  • condensed milk
  • red glace cherries
  • red colouring
  • milk chocolate
  • a little extra dark chocolate for decorating (optional).
ingredients for cherry ripe slice

How to make Cherry Ripe Slice

Once you’ve greased and lined (with baking paper) a slice tin (approx 27 x 17cm), making this slice is as easy as 1, 2, 3.

  1. Line the bottom of the tray with milk coffee biscuits.
  2. Combine the coconut, tin of condensed milk, halved glace cherries and red food colouring and then layer on top of the biscuits.
  3. Add melted chocolate as the top layer.

Once the slice has set in the fridge, allow to sit for 20 minutes before cutting into squares with a sharp knife.

Why this Cherry Ripe Slice recipe is even better than the popular bar

Think the Cherry Ripe Bar is great? Well, here are three reasons why you might find this Cherry Ripe Slice so much more amazing than the bar.

1. Condensed milk memories 

This recipes uses a whole tin of condensed milk. But there’s always that little bit you can’t scrape from the sides and just have to scoop up with a spoon and eat direct from the tin. 

I always loved when Mum would make up a recipe with condensed milk, though she was always a little too thorough with the scraping for my liking. My kids also love this little cooking ritual.

girls eating condensed milk from tin

2. You can choose milk or dark chocolate

If you’re a Cherry Ripe Bar traditionalist, you may not agree. But in the milk chocolate vs dark chocolate controversy, I’m firmly in the milk chocolate camp.

The milk chocolate makes this slice a real crowd pleaser. And here, I’ve drizzled a little dark chocolate to make the slice look even lovelier.

If you are a traditionalist or prefer the bitter taste of dark chocolate, just swap the dark and milk chocolate quantities and use a dark chocolate layer drizzled with milk chocolate.

Simple!

3. A whole tray vs one bar

Chocolate bars these days continue to shrink and shrink.

Not this recipe.

You have a whole tray of cherry ripe slice goodness to devour.

You could even share if you’re feeling generous.

how to make cherry ripe slice

Cherry Ripe Slice-making tips and storage

This is a simple recipe, but these few tips should make the whole process run even more smoothly:

  1. Make sure you grease and line the tin with baking paper. Leave enough baking paper at the sides so you can use it to lift the slice out of the tray at the end.
  2. Spread spoonfuls of the coconut mixture evenly over the top of the biscuit base and then gently even it out. Use your fingertips first and then the back of a metal spoon to get a clean, even finish.
  3. Don’t forget to leave your Cherry Ripe Slice out of the fridge for about 20 minutes before attempting to cut into slices. This will avoid having cracks appear in the chocolate layer.
  4. Store Cherry Ripe Slice in the fridge for up to one week.

Looking for more slice recipes?

Check out more of Cooking with Nana Ling’s fabulous old-fashioned slices here, including Mars Bar Slice, Jelly Slice and Caramel Slice.

cherry ripe slice

Cherry Ripe Slice

This easy no-bake slice creates the most sublime cherry ripe experience.
4.80 from 20 votes
Print Pin Rate
Course: Dessert
Cuisine: Australian
Keyword: cherry ripe slice
Prep Time: 15 minutes
Cook Time: 0 minutes
Fridge time: 2 hours
Total Time: 2 hours 15 minutes
Servings: 24 pieces
Calories: 210kcal

Equipment

  • slice tin (27 x 17cm approx)

Ingredients

  • 12 milk coffee biscuits (or any other plain, sweet biscuits)
  • 250 grams desiccated coconut (3 cups)
  • 395 gram tin condensed milk
  • 200 grams red glace cherries
  • 6 drops red colouring
  • 240 grams milk chocolate
  • 40 grams dark chocolate

Instructions

  • Grease a slice tin (approx 27 x 17cm) and line with baking paper, leaving paper overhanging at sides to assist with removal of slice later.
  • Line bottom of tray with milk coffee biscuits, cutting to fit if necessary.
  • Add coconut, tin of condensed milk, halved glace cherries and 5-6 drops of red food colouring to a mixing bowl. Stir well to combine. Mixture should turn pink and hold together well.
  • Layer mixture on top of biscuits in tray, spreading evenly and pressing down with fingers to create an even layer. Smooth this layer with the back of a spoon.
  • Melt milk chocolate in a bowl using 20 second bursts in the microwave. Stir well between bursts.
  • Pour melted chocolate over top of coconut mixture, using a spoon or tilting tray so the chocolate evenly coats the top of the slice.
  • Melt dark chocolate in a bowl using 20 second bursts in the microwave. Stir well between bursts.
  • Drizzle dark chocolate over milk chocolate layer.
  • Place into fridge for at least 2 hours.
  • Remove tray from fridge and lift slice out of tray using edges of baking paper. Allow to sit for 20 minutes (to avoid chocolate cracking is you cut into slices) before cutting into squares with a sharp knife.
  • Store in fridge for up to one week.

Nutrition

Calories: 210kcal | Carbohydrates: 25g | Protein: 3g | Fat: 12g | Saturated Fat: 9g | Polyunsaturated Fat: 1g | Monounsaturated Fat: 2g | Trans Fat: 1g | Cholesterol: 6mg | Sodium: 29mg | Potassium: 159mg | Fiber: 3g | Sugar: 19g | Vitamin A: 45IU | Vitamin C: 1mg | Calcium: 53mg | Iron: 1mg
Recipe Rating




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