Coconut Ice

Coconut Ice is the pretty sweet we fell in love with at fetes and school stalls all those years ago.

Today, biting into the lovely layers of pink and white sends you directly to coconut heaven (and delivers a mighty good sugar kick in the process!)

Coconut Ice: made the old fashioned way

This recipe for Coconut Ice Recipe requires only three ingredients plus a little food colouring for the pink layer.

It makes 24 medium squares, 48 medium rectangles or 96 tiny, bite-size squares.

It’s made the “proper” way! This old-fashioned recipe uses milk and sugar and a traditional sweet-making process rather than the condensed milk version which is perhaps more popular today.  

Why make it the old way?

Easy – it tastes better.

And it remains an easy coconut ice recipe – although you should ideally read through the process in the post and the recipe card below before launching into it.

A recipe for Coconut Ice from 1938

This recipe for Coconut Ice is similar to many published in the 1930s and 1940s.

Here’s an example below that appeared in The Australian Worker newspaper in 1938.

Remember, though, to keep scrolling for the updated and tweaked recipe – with full instructions – in the recipe card below.

BY THE WAY: If you love old-fashioned coconut recipes, you might like to check out my recipes for Coconut Custard, Coconut Biscuits, Choc Coconut Slice and Coconut Cake.

How to make Coconut Ice

The method is fairly straightforward. However, there’s two thing to keep in mind:

• you are working with hot sugar – so please take care
• you do have to work a little quickly when pouring the layers – so read through the process carefully before starting.

Prepping

First, grease a slice tin (approx 28 x 18 centimetres) and line with baking paper – leaving some extra on either side to lift the coconut ice slab out of the tray.

Step 1: Boiling the milk and sugar

Combine the sugar and milk in a large saucepan and stir over low heat until the sugar is dissolved.

Remember, low heat to dissolve the sugar first before it boils.

Bring the milk and sugar mixture to the boil and allow to boil, stirring from time to time, for 5 minutes.

You’ll probably need to reduce the temperature to the lowest setting to maintain the boil.

If the mixture starts to boil too rapidly, take the mixture off the heat for a few moments.

Step 2: Add the coconut

Remove the sugar and milk mixture from the heat and add coconut. Stir to combine.

Return the mixture to the heat and cook, stirring, for another 5 minutes.

It should thicken to a sloppy porridge-lie consistency and, as you stir it, start to momentarily lift from the bottom of the saucepan a little.

It may need a little longer than 5 minutes but no more than 10 minutes.

Step 3: Pouring into the tin

Pour half the white mixture into the prepared tin and place into the fridge for 5 minutes.

Add a few drops of pink food colour or red food colouring to the remaining mixture and stir through the mixture to create that pretty pink layer.

Place mixture on low heat to keep warm.

TIP: If pink coconut mixture becomes too thick by the time you’re ready to pour it over the white coconut layer, add up to a tablespoon of milk and stir through over low heat to achieve a runnier consistency.

Remove slice tray from the fridge and check that the mixture has set enough to pour the next layer.

Use a spoon to check as the mixture may still be hot. If it’s not set enough, return to the fridge for another 5 minutes.

Pour pink mixture onto top of first layer in the slice tin and allow to set at room temperature.

Once cool, cut into small squares using a sharp knife.

Variation ideas for Coconut Ice

There are a few ways you can change up this recipe.

• First, change the pink layer to any other colour you like. Blue, yellow, orange… whatever you can dream up.
• You can also make chocolate coconut ice by adding melted chocolate or cocoa instead of pink food colouring.
• You could also try adding a flavour, such as vanilla, almond or lemon essence to the coloured layer.
• Some readers have commented that they have made this recipe successfully using soy milk and coconut milk.

More recipe tips

How long does Coconut Ice last?

Because of the high sugar content (with sugar being a preserver), it should keep for up to a month at room temperature if kept in an airtight container.

Which makes it a perfect gifting idea for Christmas! Wrap some squares in a little cellophane, add some festive ribbons and you have the perfect little gift.

And if you’re looking for other recipes that are perfect for gifting, you might like to check out these ones: Almond Bread, Nuts and Bolts, White Chocolate Rocky Road, Christmas Crack, Mini Christmas Cakes, Choc Cherry Log, Russian Caramels and Rocky Road.