Recipe: Easy Coconut Ice {Great As A Gift Or For Fetes & Market Stalls}

Summary: Sometimes, I think I had an oddly British upbringing. I have all these childhood memories of foods like cherry cake, lemon drizzle cake and all manner of slices. I assume everyone has bought them with a few coins at the fete and eaten them with glee! But Mr Ask is a first generation Aussie (his parents hailing from Denmark and the Philippines) and so often he’s never heard of these treats, like coconut ice! And coconut ice is very British. When the war time restrictions on sugar were over, they celebrated by creating coconut ice and other full on sugar bombs.

For those who have never had this delight, think Bounty or Almond Joy filling. It’s amazing! The pink layer is traditional but not required and if you fancy a more natural version, raspberry or beet powders give a pretty hue. This can be packaged up as gift or to sell at market stalls and fetes. It’s also nice for ‘bring a plate’ events. I’m planing to make some deeper pink and green ones for Christmas.
 
There are various sorts of recipes for coconut ice. Some have a boiled sugar and water base, others boiled milk, butter and sugar and still others use copha. More modern variations use condensed milk, which is much easier. I also feel it is smoother, creamier and it keeps for ages at room temp (even in the Aussie heat). I made this recipe easier still by using a stand mixer fitted with a dough hook. It worked wonderfully! You can do it without the tech but you’ll want to split the ingredients in half, into two bowls and add the red food color to one. Then just stir with a fork, until it gets to hard, then knead with your hands. 

Ingredients

• 1 (397g) tin sweetened condensed milk
• 400g icing sugar
• 400g desiccated coconut
• 2-3 drops liquid red food colouring

Instructions

1. Line a small slice tin (26cm x 16cm) with baking paper and set aside.
2. Add everything, except the food color, to the bowl of a stand mixer. Mix with the dough hook attachment until it comes together as a ball.
3. Divide mixture in half and press one half into the lined slice tray. I use a small rolling pin (or a can or jar) to roll it fairly flat and even.
4. Break up the remaining mixture and add it back to the mixer bowl with, 2-3 drops of red (or other colour). Mix with the dough hook again until the mixture is a fairly even colour.
5. Press the pink mixture on top of the white layer and again, flatten the best you can.
6. Refrigerate, uncovered for at least 2 hours. Cut into squares and store in an airtight container either in the fridge or at room temp. Will keep for up to a month.