Chocolate Coconut Bars

Have you ever tucked one of the kids into bed at night and then they remember to ask for a plate of food to be shared at a class party the very next morning? This has happened to me countless times but the other night it was hubby who asked after I had supposedly closed the kitchen for the night. He and his team were moving into a new office space, and as an informal celebration each wife was sending in a plate of nibblies. Luckily I have a few quick and easy recipes in the files and these Chocolate Coconut Bars are always a crowd pleaser:

I'm pretty sure this recipe was in an old issue of the Woman's Weekly magazine. My nan cooked it a lot and passed it on to me where its become a family favorite. Its loaded with coconut and it has that lovely cake like texture unlike some slice recipes which can be quite dense.

All you need are a few staple ingredients from the pantry and around 30 minutes of your time to mix, bake and ice the slice, and then its just a matter of letting it cool before you cut it into bars. They make an attractive plate to take and share or they are a great little treat to pop in the lunchboxes.

We enjoy those yummy crusts but for a more refined presentation cut those off (and nibble on them) before you slice it into bars or small squares. They are so versatile and would look right at home on a cake plate for high tea or be a great addition to the outdoor family picnic.

I hope you and your family enjoy these Chocolate Coconut Bars. It is a wonderful quick recipe to have in your file for those unexpected "catering emergencies" or for when you feel like baking something without too much fuss and mess.
To download and print the recipe just click the link or right click on the photo below and save to your computer.