It’s the final countdown!

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This coconut & vanilla ice (fudge) is quite nice, although very sweet. Don’t eat too many squares at a time or your teeth will hurt!

Step by step recipe below and list of ingredients at the end of the post.

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Place the butter, milk, icing sugar, vanilla and salt in a large saucepan and heat gently until the sugar dissolves.

Bring the mixture to the boil and keep the heat sufficient to just maintain the boil, stirring only occasionally, until the mixture reaches the soft-ball stage (116°C). For me this took around 10 minutes.

Add the coconut and coconut essence and remove from the heat. Cool for 5–10 minutes, then divide the mixture in half.

Beat half of the mixture until the mixture thickens and pour into a greased tin (or lined with baking paper), approximately 20 cm x 20 cm.

Add beetroot juice or pink food colour to the other half of the mixture and beat until it thickens.

Spread into the tin, on top of the first half.

Allow to cool, then cut into squares.

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Coconut & Vanilla Fudge

From The Great New Zealand Baking Book, copyright © Jonny Schwass from Harlequin Public House

Makes: 20 pieces | Prep time: 25 minutes, plus cooling | Skill level: 2 (moderate)

Ingredients

• 100 g butter
• 1 cup milk
• 6 cups icing sugar
• seeds from 1 vanilla pod
• 1 tsp salt
• 1 cup desiccated coconut
• ½ tsp coconut essence
• 1 tsp natural beetroot juice (optional)

[GF]

Method

Place the butter, milk, icing sugar, vanilla seeds and salt in a large saucepan and heat gently until the sugar dissolves. Bring the mixture to the boil and keep the heat sufficient to just maintain the boil, stirring only occasionally, until the mixture reaches soft-ball stage (116°C).

Add the coconut and coconut essence and remove from the heat. Cool for 5–10 minutes, then beat until the mixture thickens. Pour into a greased tin, approximately 20 cm x 20 cm. Allow to cool, then cut into squares.

Variations

For a natural pink coconut ice, add beetroot juice with the coconut. For the traditional two-toned effect, divide the mixture in half before leaving to cool. Add ½ teaspoon of beetroot juice with half the coconut and essence to one half of mixture and beat until it starts to thicken. Spread into the tin. Add remaining coconut and essence to the other half, beat until it thickens and spread on top of the pink half. Allow to cool, then cut into squares.

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