or scroll for handy tips and a little nostalgia.
This recipe was tucked away in my Nan Mac’s handwritten recipe book. But it’s back – and this Choc Coconut Slice is on regular rotation at our house!
Imagine Golden Rough chocolate transformed into slice form. Can you taste it? Now you’ll have a good idea of what to expect when you sink your teeth into this slice.
The base is a buttery chocolate shortbread, while the top layer is a choc coconut icing made extra creamy with the addition of a little condensed milk.
Ice while hot
Many of Nana Ling’s and Nan Mac’s old-fashioned recipes contain this instruction: “Ice while hot”.
I love this instruction. There’s just something so soothing about smoothing icing over a hot cake or biscuit base.
The icing for this recipe is a little paste-like, and you’ll need to spread it out and smooth it with a butter knife. And the heat from the slice base makes this task a whole lot easier.
Make up this slice and it may just stay on regular rotation at your house!
Nan Mac’s Choc Coconut Slice recipe
Keep scrolling for the tested and tweaked version.
Choc Coconut Slice
Ingredients
Base
- 150 grams butter
- 1/2 cup caster sugar
- 1 cup desiccated coconut
- 1 cup SR flour
- 1 tablespoon cocoa
Icing
- 1 cup coconut
- 1 cup icing sugar
- 1 tablespoon cocoa
- 1/4 cup condensed milk
- 1 teaspoon vanilla extract
- 2-3 teaspoons boiling water
Instructions
Base
- Pre-heat oven to moderate (180 degrees celsius, fan-forced).
- Grease a slice tin (approximately 28 x 18cm) and line with baking paper – leaving longer edges on two opposite sides so you can lift the slice from the tray once set.
- Cream butter and sugar until a lighter, creamy colour.
- Stir through coconut.
- Stir through sifted flour and cocoa until well combined.
- Pour the mixture into the prepared slice tin and press out evenly using your fingertips. Even out further using the back of a spoon.
- Bake for 20 minutes.
- Make the icing during the baking time as this slice is iced while hot.
Icing
- Sift icing sugar and cocoa into a bowl.
- Add coconut and mix to combine.
- Stir through condensed milk.
- Add enough of the boiling water to form a paste that will be runny enough to spread over the biscuit base.
- Once biscuit base is removed from the oven, pour the icing over the base and spread out evenly with a butter knife.
- Place in fridge to set.
- Once set, cut into 24 pieces.
Juliet
Saturday 22nd of April 2023
Is the recipe given correct? As I followed it exactly, came out dry
Libby Hakim
Saturday 22nd of April 2023
Hi Juliet. It's had generally good reviews so I don't think there are any errors. Did you add the icing? It could be dry without the icing. I will make it again soon and check the recipe. Sorry you didn't have a great experience with the recipe.
Katherine
Sunday 24th of July 2022
This looks yummy! Thanks for sharing. What kind of coconut should be used?
Katherine
Saturday 30th of July 2022
@Libby Hakim, Thank you! I was hoping it was desiccated coconut as I have some in my cupboard that needs using up :)
Libby Hakim
Monday 25th of July 2022
Hi Katherine. Thanks for asking! It's desiccated coconut and I've updated the recipe to clarify. Thanks again and happy cooking! Libby
Julianne Bartels
Saturday 18th of December 2021
Have made this today and the smell is devine! Can you tell me how long will it keep for please ..... not that it will last very long
Libby Hakim
Monday 20th of December 2021
Hi Julianne - wonderful! It should last for up to a week in an airtight container. Enjoy x
Natasha
Thursday 12th of November 2020
hi there, I am yet to try this recipe but it looks so yummy! what size cake tin would you recommend using for this? not sure how thinly to spread the slice OR I may not spread thinly enough and it will not cook properly! many thanks.
Angie
Monday 29th of November 2021
@Libby, My Nanna use to make this slice when I was a kid. It was my favourite ❤
Libby
Thursday 12th of November 2020
Hi Natasha. I've used a slice tin here - which is approximately 28 x 18cm. I'll add this to the recipe instructions above too. Thanks for asking! Happy cooking! Libby x