Coconut & chocolate bars

• golden caster sugar↗100g g
• golden syrup↗2 tbsp tbsp
• egg whites↗2
• can coconut cream↗160g g
• vanilla extract↗2 tsp tsp
• unsweetened desiccated coconut↗250g g
• dried cranberries↗50g g

  or dried cherries (optional)

• bar milk or dark chocolate↗200g g

  chopped into small pieces

Step-by-step instructions

1. 1

   Line a 20cm square baking tin with baking parchment and heat oven to 180C/160C fan/ gas 4. Tip the sugar, golden syrup, egg white, coconut cream and vanilla into a mixing bowl and mix with an electric whisk until well combined. Add the coconut and dried fruit and mix with a spatula until the ingredients are all evenly coated in the egg white mixture. Tip into the baking tin, press down with the back of a spoon to compress and make an even layer, then bake for 25-30 mins until golden brown and firm to the touch. Leave to cool completely in the tin.

2. 2

   Melt the chocolate in a bowl over a pan of barely simmering water, or in short bursts in the microwave. Cut the coconut bake into 12 or 16 bars and remove the baking parchment. Turn the bars upside down and carefully spoon a little of the melted chocolate onto the base of each one, spreading with a knife to cover. Leave to set (pop in the fridge to speed it up if you like), then wrap the bars individually in baking parchment. Will keep in the fridge for up to 5 days.