Australian Crunchie is a quick and easy recipe for tempting coconut chocolate slices made with cornflakes and desiccated coconut. These Aussie Crunch bars are ready to bake in 10 minutes and look wildly impressive when topped with chocolate and sprinkles.
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Australian Crunchie takes me straight back to childhood. I used to make it when visiting an adult friend for the weekend and I recall every single mouthful tasting fantastic.
I’m not too sure how this treat slipped from my mind for over 3 decades, but it’s firmly back now. I’ve given the recipe for these coconut chocolate slices a few tests and tweaks recently and brought it well and truly up to date. But don’t worry, all that nostalgic crunch and flavour is still there.
What is Aussie Crunch?
Australian Crunchie is a British bake incorporating coconut, cornflakes and cocoa powder. It is baked in a tin and cut into squares, bars or triangles. Traditional recipes list a layer of chocolate on the top as optional, but in my view it’s essential.
The precise origin of this treat is open to debate. Some claim it originates from the North-West of England (specifically around the Bolton area). However, others lay credit to the Bero cookbook, which is definitely where I first came across it in c1980.
One thing is for certain, despite the name, Aussie Crunch is not an Australian recipe.
Why This Coconut Chocolate Slice is so Good
The classic components of the Australian Crunchie are still included in this rendition:
- Expect plenty of crunch from the cornflakes
- Plus a certain chewiness from the coconut
- And that hit of chocolate flavour provided by the cocoa powder
But alongside these basics you can also expect:
- A fuller, richer flavour (because the margarine has been replaced by butter)
- A little extra luscious sweetness (due to the inclusion of a drop of golden syrup)
- An optional burst of fruit
- An eyecatching appearance (a covering of chocolate and crunchy sprinkles work wonders)
All in all, my revamp of the classic Bero recipe turns these humble coconut chocolate slices into a truly tantalizing treat.
If you love including breakfast cereal in your baking, you might like to try out my cornflake slices, my chocolate rice krispie treats and my cocoa flapjack too.
Ingredients
Without wishing to sound like the cereal snob that I am, I do recommend Kellogg’s cornflakes for this recipe. They typically have a finer, flakier constitution than supermarket own-brand versions and for this recipe, that finer texture is key.
Desiccated (finely shredded) coconut is essential. Do not substitute coconut chips as these are too large and not fit for purpose in these coconut chocolate bars. If you are unable to locate desiccated coconut it is possible to make your own.
I have cut down on the caster sugar compared to the original Bero recipe but included a small amount of golden syrup to amplify the sweetness in these bars very slightly. It brings the rest of the flavours together remarkably well. Golden syrup is easy to find in the UK but elsewhere in the world can be harder to get hold of. Try substituting corn syrup or honey if you are unable to locate golden syrup.
Raisins are not part of the classic Australian crunchie bar and these can be left out if preferred. If included, they must be finely chopped to ensure that the bake holds together well once baked and sliced.
I recommend using milk chocolate to top these bars. Dark chocolate is overpoweringly rich alongside the other flavours and white chocolate is far too sweet in this instance.
Again, sprinkles are not part of the classic recipe, but they do add a sense of fun to this particularly kid-friendly bake. Go for ones with crunch to match the nature of these bars.
Step by Step Instructions
1. Use your hands to crush the cornflakes until quite small. If using raisins chop as finely as possible
2. Stir the sugar, coconut, cornflakes, cocoa powder, salt and raisins together in a bowl and melt the butter and golden syrup together in a large saucepan over a low heat
3. When melted, tip the dry ingredients in and mix with a wooden spoon
4. Turn into a greased and lined baking tin, press down with the back of a spoon and cook for 20 minutes
5. When cool melt the chocolate, mix in the oil, spread over the top
6. Quickly scatter sprinkles over, if using, then let the chocolate set before cutting into pieces
Expert Tips
- For the best results use digital scales to weigh out your ingredients. It’s a far more accurate method of measuring ingredients than cups
- It is inevitable that these bars will crumble a little – go with it and embrace the rustic nature of these coconut chocolate bars
- To minimise the crumbling, crush the cornflakes well to ensure the bars hold together rather than breaking up too much when cut
- If dried fruit is included in your bars it is essential to chop them finely. Do not leave them whole as it will make the bars more prone to crumbling
- Use a warm knife to cut the bars neatly without shattering the chocolate. Wiping the knife clean and reheating between each cut also ensures a neater finish
Frequently Asked Questions
I have yet to discover where this name comes from. If you know, do tell me.
My best guess is that the use of desiccated coconut in this bake tallies with classic Lamingtons and Anzac biscuits. Both of these bakes originate from Australia and also contain desiccated coconut. That’s purely speculation on my part though.
Once cold Aussie Crunch can be stored at room temperature in an airtight container. I have found that using a glass jar with a clip-top lid (like a Kilner jar) keeps all bars and cookies exceedingly fresh.
When stored like this they will stay fresh for up to 5 days.
They can also be frozen for up to 2 months. Simply let thaw for several hours on the countertop when required.
Yes, you can. In fact, the classic recipe does list this type of flour.
I’ve used plain flour simply because this is not a bake that needs to rise like a cake does, so I saw no reason to include a leavening agent.
Variations
Traditionally, Australian Crunchie has no added extras, but for an extra burst of flavour and interest try any of the following in place of the raisins
- raisins (shown here)
- dried cherries
- prunes (dried – do not use tinned)
- candied peel (1 tbsp)
- candied ginger (1 tbsp)
Just like the raisins, these optional extras also need to be chopped extremely finely to ensure that the coconut chocolate slices are not too crumbly.
Other Bars and Slices to Bake
Have you tried this Aussie Crunch recipe? Please give it a rating or leave a comment – I love to hear how you get along with my creations. And if you’re on Instagram post a picture of your bake and tag me (@jane_littlesugarsnaps).
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Australian Crunchie (Coconut Chocolate Slices)
Equipment
- An 8×8-inch (20x20cm) baking tin
Ingredients
- 225 g Butter or baking margarine
- 100 g Caster sugar
- 2 tablespoon Golden syrup or corn syrup/ honey
- 75 g Desiccated coconut
- 125 g Plain flour all-purpose
- 75 g Cornflakes Kellogg's
- 2½ tablespoon Cocoa powder
- ¼ teaspoon Salt
- 45 g Raisins
- 150 g Milk Chocolate
- 1 teaspoon Vegetable oil
- 1 tablespoon Sprinkles optional but if using make them crunchy ones
Instructions
- Use your hands to crush the cornflakes until quite small – don't be tempted to leave them whole as the bars will end up falling apart
- Preheat the oven to 180C/ 350F/ GM4 and grease and line an 8×8-inch (20x20cm) baking tin
- If using raisins chop as finely as possible – again, cutting them up means the bars will hold together better
- Melt the butter and golden syrup in a large saucepan over a low heat
- use a wooden spoon to stir in the sugar, coconut, cornflakes, cocoa powder, salt and raisins until well mixed and no streaks of flour remain
- Turn into a greased and lined baking tin, press down with the back of a spoon until the top looks even and cook for 20 minutes
- Let cool completely. If not covering with chocolate, now is the time to cut into squares, slices or traingles
- If covering with chocolate, melt the chocolate either in the microwave or in a bain Marie. Mix in the oil then spread over the top of the bake and scatter sprinkles over if using
- Let the chocolate set then cut into pieces
- Store in an airtight container for up to 5 days
Notes
- For the best results use digital scales to weigh out your ingredients out. It’s a far more accurate method of measuring ingredients than cups
- It is inevitable that these bars will crumble a little when cut – go with it and embrace the rustic nature of these coconut chocolate bars
- To minimise the crumbling, crush the cornflakes well to ensure the bars hold together rather than breaking up too much when cut
- If dried fruit is included in your bars it is essential to chop it finely. Do not leave them whole as the bars will be more prone to crumbling
- I’ve used plain flour simply because this is not a bake that needs to rise like a cake does, so I saw no reason to include a leavening agent. The original recipe uses self-raising flour, so if this is what you have to hand, it is fine to use it
- Use a warm knife to cut the bars neatly without shattering the chocolate. Wiping the knife clean and reheating between each cut also ensures a neater finish
Shari
I don’t see flour in the ingredients but it is in the method+?
Jane Saunders
Thanks for bringing this to my attention Shari – just updated with the flour listed now!