Chocolate Crunchies

Hot on the heels of my previous bake-for/ with-the-kids recipe, is this classic South African favorite - chocolate crunchies.

I always add some extra dates and seeds, too - great for flavour and full of nutritional benefits - to offset the butter and chocolate. (And appease maternal guilt when the kids ask for second and third pieces!)
In fact these are so yummy, that they qualify for very-top-shelf storage - out of reach of children and husbands!

Provided you have all the ingredients on hand, making these is straight forward, and the kids really enjoy mixing all the dry ingredients together - save handling the hot stuff for yourself, obviously : )


Chocolate crunchies

Preheat oven to 180'C

1 cup flour
1 cup shredded coconut
1 cup oats
1/4 cup chopped dates
1/4 cup pumpkin seeds
1/4 cup sunflower seeds
1/2 cup sugar
2TBS cocoa powder

Mix together in a large bowl.

125g butter
2 TBS golden syrup
1 tsp baking soda

Melt together the butter and syrup in a small saucepan. Stir in the baking soda.

Add this to the bowl of dry ingredients. Mix well.
The mixture will still be crumbly.

Press firmly into a lined, 20-22cm square baking pan.*

Bake at 180'C for 20 min.

* The best way to line it is with a cross of parchment that extends over the edges of the pan - it makes removing it from the pan later a cinch.

Chocolate Glaze

1 cup icing sugar, sifted
2TBS cocoa powder
2TBS milk
1TBS butter
1tsp Vanilla

Heat on high in the microwave for 1 1/2 minutes. Stir until smooth. While still hot, pour over the crunchies when they come out the oven.
Tilt the pan to distribute the topping over the entire surface.

Leave to cool before removing from the tin and cutting into squares.

According to my (4 year old) son, the kitchen smelt "just like hot chocolate" while these were baking - hmmmn.... just like hot chocolate, only crunchy ;o)

xxM