Ginger, Lime and Coconut Crunch

Yes, I do realise that I've made something similar before, but the best recipes are the ones you keep going back to. This twist to a classic ginger crunch, is my new favourite. You could even go wild and combine my other recipe with a twist, to create the ultimate hybrid. Here's the first with added stem ginger, for an extra ginger hit.

If you didn't know already I love citrus, especially limes and lemons. I also love coconut, and have coconut milk on my porridge every morning, but I especially love it in baking, like Anzac biscuits or adding it to granola. So paring, some of my two favourite things, with ginger is obviously going to be super tasty, and I won't lie, the inspiration behind the pairing of the lime and ginger, is from ginger mojito( recipe coming soon!!). 

The icing I did to taste, but this is a rough guide, it will depend on the size of your limes, and strength of your ginger will also alter, depending on the freshness. Feel free to double the base mixture, if you prefer it a bit thicker and a 1:1 ratio, I like a slightly thinner base than icing, as its a bit easier to eat. If making this in advance, leave the base in the oven for a few extra minutes, for it can really crisp up like a biscuit, as it will soften slightly when you put the icing on top. 

Ingredients
for the base:
1 cup plain flour
1/2 tsp baking powder
2 tsp ground ginger
1/4 cup desiccated coconut 
1/2 cup sugar
125g butter
1/2 tsp vanilla extract

for the icing:
150g butter
90g golden syrup
2 tbsp ground ginger
1 1/2 cup icing sugar
zest of 1 lime
1 tbsp lime juice
1 tbsp ginger syrup

1. preheat the oven to 180c
2. for the base beat the butter and sugar together until light and fluffy 
3. add in the rest of the ingredients, and mix until evenly combined(it's a quite dry mixture)
4. press into a large tin, bake for 20 mins or until golden and firm to touch
5. leave to cool. meanwhile make the icing
6. melt the butter, both syrups and ginger until smooth, then add in the icing sugar and zest. add in the lime juice to taste. Adjust the lime and ginger to taste
7. pour over the base, and smooth to the edges.
8. sprinkle of extra lime zest if wished, and leave to set before slicing.

Coconut and Apricot Slice

Writing about these is making me want one so badly, and yes, you probably here that a lot on blogs, but honestly this is one of my favourite bakes. Luckily for me; one sister didn't like it, the other was going through a vegan stage, my mum was away dog/house sitting, and my dad tends to forget about the things i bake, if they're in the cupboard. So as you can imagine, i had a lot to eat myself, not that i minded too much.

If you wanted something sweet, bite size and that pairs together so well, like carrot and cumin, apple and cinnamon, then look no further. The sweetness of the biscuit, and condensed milk, with the tartness of the apricot and then the lemon icing, topping off the perfect crunch, to chew ratio underneath. 

Personally, I love apricots and wouldn't change them, but if you don't, raisins would work just as well. I used digestive biscuits, but any plain, sweet biscuit would do the job. I also added lemon zest to the icing, and extra lemon juice because I love lemon, as you might know, if you've been reading my blog for a while. 

I don't particularly like super thick icing on slices, so i halved the original recipe, but feel free to double the one below, if you like thicker icing. I also pressed in extra coconut, to make it look pretty, since my icing lost its shine, as i kept touching it, but if your more skilled than me, and can create a flat and shiny surface, then go ahead!!

Ingredients
100g butter
3/4 cup condensed milk
375g digestives, crushed
150g dried apricots, finely chopped
1 cup desiccated coconut
2 tbsp lemon juice

icing
25g butter
1.5 tbsp boiling water
1 tbsp lemon juice
zest of 1 lemon
1 3/4  icing sugar

1. melt the butter and condensed milk. bring to the boil and simmer for 2 mins.Remove from the heat
2. Add the crushed biscuits, apricots, coconut and lemon juice. Mix well.
3. press into 30cm x 24 cm lined baking tin. Pop in the fridge until set, then ice.
4. For the icing: Melt butter and mix with the boiling water, icing sugar, lemon zest, and juice to a smooth consistency
5. Spread over base. Press into extra coconut if desired, and once set, cut into squares  

Rocky Road

These things.....oh so beautiful. Delicious. just so......well there are very few words to describe my emotions to these. um mm, so very very good. 

And yes, somehow even though i didn't need it, i convinced myself that, yes, i did need one of the last three, when writing this, because of course it helps me write; who am i kidding. The chocolate is creamy, and the perfect sweetness not too bitter, like all dark chocolate ,and not to sickly sweet as milk chocolate can be when mixed with other incredibly sugary things. Even my mum will eat this, when generally, shes not a rocky road kinda gal, as often it is too sweet.

Feel free to play up the inside things, to whatever takes your fancy. I like to keep the base the same, with 50/50 of each chocolate, mini marshmallows (because who can be bothered to cut up massive ones, it just saves a whole lot of time) and digestives. The rest is up to you. This time i chopped up almonds, and added sour cherries. In the past, for children my sisters age (around 10,) i didn't use nuts and put in cranberries, as they are sweeter for young children,then filled the rest up with more digestives and marshmallows. i also kept the chocolate mix the same as i think its great for all ages, but feel free to switch is up the chocolate, for whoever your are giving it to.

Its super quick, and you probably have all the ingredients already, so is perfect for a last minute, ahhh some one is visiting panic.  Its also super easy to adapt seasonally, such as adding pistachios and cranberries for a Christmassy feel( talking about Christmas is now officially allowed its November now. OK.) or make it your own by adding your favourite chocolate bar ,or totally change the look, by making it a white rocky road,and now i mention it i might try crunchie bar next time. 

Dusted with icing sugar, very apt for this time of year, like a dusting of snow.

Ingredients 

125g butter
150g dark chocolate
150g milk chocolate
3 tbsp golden syrup
100g digestive biscuits
100g of nuts, dried fruit, whatever takes your fancy or fill up with more digestive or marshmallows
100g mini marshmallows

icing sugar, to dust

1. line rectangle tin and grease the paper(i greased the tin this time and i found it was harder to get out, so learn from my mistakes and don't.)
2. melt the chocolate, butter and golden syrup until fully combined, and you just want to gulp it down, right then and there. i don't recommend doing this as it could cause a heart attack, not from how good it is but, sadly from the amount of sugar.
3. stir in the last 4 ingredients(not the icing sugar)
4. spoon into the tin(leaving about 2 tbsp, because a bowl with nothing in, is not worth scraping out, and that is the best part to baking, am i not right.) and flatten as best as you possibly can.
5. chill in fridge for about 2 hrs, or until firm
6. dust with icing sugar and cut into squares
7. demolish, as slowly as you can(because lets be honest its not the most healthy treat you could eat). bet you cant last a week.

let me know what you decide to add. Emma x