Burnished gold. Sweet caramel. Chewy coconut and sesame seeds. Spicy ginger.
This Caramel Coconut Ginger Slice is easy to make, and even easier to eat (as long as you like crystallised ginger). The sweetness of caramel and white chocolate is balanced by the spicy kick of a full half cup of crystallised ginger, and the flecks of coconut and sesame seeds provide a little extra oomph of complexity to make you smile.
After a week of rain and no baking mojo, I woke up on Saturday to autumn sun streaming through my window and morning plans for coffee with my girl Lizzi to look forward to.
I started the day with breakfast (chopped fuyu persimmon topped with cacao nibs alongside tahini and jam toast), some giggling – nay, chortling – whilst reading The Pursuit of Love (“The wails of Linda’s baby now entered on a crescendo, and the whole room was filled with hideous noise. ‘Poor soul,’ said Linda. ‘I think it must have caught sight of itself in the glass. Do take it away, Sister.’”), then settled myself down with a cup of herbal tea to plan my baking adventures for the day.
Before long, I found a recipe in a freebie Nestle cookbook that I was able to adapt ever so slightly into a no-bake treat fit for kings. And by “kings”, I mean “my dad and my grandpa”, because it turns out that I still don’t like crystallised ginger. Ground ginger, yes. Crystallised ginger, no. I am nothing if not an enigma.
But no matter. All this means is that I got to play the Sweets Fairy again for my family, which is something I mightily love to do. For myself, I’ll simply have to make some Spiced Sesame Slice instead.
That is, after I’ve read more of my book. (“Louisa was to have two houses, one in London, and one in Scotland. Her dress allowance would be three hundred a year, she would possess a diamond tiara, a pearl necklace, a motor-car of her own and a fur cape. In fact, granted she could bear her husband, her lot was an enviable one. He was terribly dull.”)
No-Bake Caramel Coconut Ginger Slice
Adapted from obscure Nestle cookbook
- 125g plain sweet biscuits (like Nice or Milk Arrowroot biscuits/cookies)
- 125g gingernut biscuits/cookies
- 1/2 cup desiccated coconut
- 1 tb (heaped) sesame seeds
- 1/2 cup crystallised ginger
- 3/4 cup Nestle Top ‘n’ Fill (aka dulce de leche)
- 1 cup white chocolate
- Line the base and sides of an 18cm x 28cm tin with baking paper.
- Process both biscuits in a food processor until crushed (mine became quite a fine meal), or alternatively place them in a large ziplock bag and smack ‘em to smithereens with a rolling pin.
- Pour the biscuit crumbs into a large bowl, then add coconut and sesame seeds.
- Finely chop the ginger and add it to the dry ingredients.
- Melt the caramel and white chocolate over low heat in a small saucepan or the microwave, stirring until the mixture is melted and cohesive. Pour over dry ingredients and stir well.
- Press mixture evenly into prepared tin and then allow to set in the refrigerator for an hour or so. Slice and serve!
Question Time: What books have made you giggle recently?
I used to hate ginger but now I can’t get enough of the stuff, even the crystallised kind
I, too, used to hate ginger with a fiery burning passion, which is why I am sorely disappointed in myself for still being averse to the crystallised kind, despite loving ginger in its many other forms. Bah, humbug, tastebuds!
Ooh, I wondered if there was a can of condensed milk involved, turns out there is in a roundabout way. Sounds rather wonderful!
I haven’t read any books that made me giggle lately! Been far too much seriousness. Your book sounds thoroughly giggle-worthy, I might have to look it up.
You are an enigma, not liking crystallised ginger when you do like ground ginger – but then you don’t like orange either, do you? Well, I guess like a sesame seed, you too “provide a little extra oomph of complexity to make you smile”.
Do you know what was even more wonderful? Having half the can of caramel top ‘n’ fill left over with which to make multiple bowls of dulce de leche peanut butter oatmeal for two days in a row! Wheee!
I, too, don’t read enough these days. Which is why it’s such a thrill to chance upon one that both whisks me away from daily anxiety and makes me giggle.
Oh Laura! I just read the last part of your comment and I am nothing. but. smiles. all. the. way. through. xoxo
I too want to like crystallised ginger, but can’t. Except when it’s covered with carob. But not chocolate. And yet I love ginger flavours when the crystallised chunks aren’t there. Most perplexing, is ginger!
It is a wily fiend determined to be tricksy in all its various guises, is ginger! I am very intrigued by your “covered in carob but not chocolate” clause. You may have out-enigma-ed me there.
Tricksy is one of my favourite words
I think I’m just fickle, with regard to the carob / chocolate thing! Carob and ginger seems to pair well for me, whereas chocolate and ginger leaves me wanting the chocolate minus the ginger…
I do like crystallised ginger, but it’s an acquired taste! It’s kind of hot and burny if you get too much of it. And burny is not a sensation that you want in a baked good.
Unless it is chilli-burny, in which case I say bring it on
I’m hoping I’ll “acquire” crystallised ginger soon; I’ve come a long way from hating it in all its guises as a kiddlywink!
Daaaayyuum. I need this. I’m on SUCH a crystallised ginger kick at the moment… especially in muesli or porridge or pancakes. Though mostly i just eat chunk after chunk by itself, never getting sick of the sweet-sweet-burn-buzz! progression.
Bahahaha that whole “chunk after chunk” things makes me feel queasy, which in turn makes me laugh, because crystallised ginger is one of the cures recommended to people for nausea. Oh, will the complexities of ginger never end?!
I want to like it. Eventually I will. Maybe if I found some embedded in, say, pain d’epice, it would win me over…
Hmm it sounds good but I am not sure how I would go with the stem ginger – I hated ginger as a child and now I mostly love it but sometimes it doesn’t agree so I can understand why ginger doesn’t always appeal to you! Melting the caramel and white chocolate sounds like enough for me – I am sure I could stop there and eat the saucepan
As for books and giggling – an old vegetarian cookbook that my sister bought for me made us laugh recently – esp the idea of a gelatine drink for the vegetarian invalid!!!!
That’s exactly me, Johanna, I hated ginger as a kid, then grew to love it in savoury things like stirfries, then came to love gingerbread and pain d’epice, but crystallised and stem ginger are still holding out on me
I totally used the second half of the can of caramel to make the most insanely delicious caramel peanut butter cinnamon oatmeal. SO GOOD.
Aaaaaah!! Gelatine drink?! That makes me feel sick, without even considering the “for a vegetarian” part!
I’m happily surprised how you again come up with a sweet treat I never ever have thought of. Is dulce the leche this sweet, thick, creamy condensed milk? Then it’s the stuff my mom sometimes loves to eat straight from the can with a spoon. It never gets used for anything else, though.
The book sounds hilarious. Do you enjoy it?
I book through which I giggled my way is “Son of the Circus” by John Irving. I red it a while ago already, though. I think I never had so much fun reading a book before.
Dulce de leche is what happens when you boil sweetened condensed milk and it turns into caramel, so maybe? I know a lot of people just eat straight sweetened condensed milk from the can, so I’m not sure. Is what your mum eats white/creamy or caramel coloured? WE’LL SOLVE THIS MYSTERY WE WILL!
Loving the book. So satirical! I’ll have to look into your recommendation
It’s not the caramalized thing my mom likes to eat as a sweet treat, so rather regular sweetened condensed milk.
I thought it might be; I’ve heard that’s a very very common treat for many people! I never had it growing up because of the dairy thing
I don’t know if I’ve had crystallised ginger, actually, but I do like ginger candy, so I’d be willing to give this slice a go.
If you like ginger candy, I’m sure you’d be a fan of crystallised ginger
holy deliciousness! love the ginger / caramel combo!
Me too! So long as the ginger is ground ginger…
But I like caramel and peanut butter even more. Woot!
Hubby adores ginger so I’d better keep this from him until I’ve got time to make it!
Oh, the hours of spare time that await you once the editing is over! I can’t wait to see what you get up to then
(*cough cough more visits to Canberra cough cough*)
Love ginger … its bite in the sweetened versions is perfect. Would love to been able to have had this.
You know, I can non-dairy-fy almost all of this; I’m just getting tripped up on the caramel part. I wonder if the soy condensed milk would work being boiled?
Actually, you know what? I think I should make you some no-bake treats instead. I’m sure crystallised ginger would be lovely with the dates and nuts. Let me know if you’re keen? xo
I like the images that the words ‘top ‘n’ fill’ bring to my mind. Mostly, I picture a handsome man in a top hat and tails at a service station, filling my car’s gasoline tank. Dreamy.
I think of that instead of crystallized ginger, which sparks fear in my heart and a sketchy expression on my face:P
Dear holy moly that image sounds pretty much like someone I should marry. Because, of course, top hat and tails to me equals someone from a musical, and I long wanted to marry Gene Kelly. Well, until I found out that he was a bit of a bastard to his wives. Also, that he wasn’t alive anymore.
Yay! We’re together on crystallised ginger!
I love, love, love ginger! I could eat that stem ginger out of the jar if I was allowed to.
As you know, I’ve been reading The Physiology of Taste. I don’t know about you, but a energy-giving regime of beef tea and opium sounds pretty funny to me! x
And who says you’re not allowed, hmm? Ah, wait, maybe not everyone has the same snack obsession that I do…
*laughs* Yes, yes, I have to agree with you there. Poppy seeds are about as close as I let myself get to opium… xo
I don’t like ginger either but I do love dulce de leche, and my love for it can possibly overwrite anything I don’t like
I am reading Bossypants and it’s making me laugh out loud!
Oh, I’ve been half-thinking of buying that – also Ellen’s book. Guaranteed laughs, I’m sure! You could totally make this without something like chocolate instead of the ginger, I reckon
And now I am intrigued with the book. I will have to get myself a copy. What a lovely slice. I don’t mind crystallised ginger as long as it’s in small doses. A no-bake slice is always a winner – doesn’t take long before you’re cutting into it and enjoying the benefits of your efforts! xx
You should look for the version I have, which has The Pursuit of Love and its sequel Love in Cold Climate in the one volume. Double the hilarious, woot!
And that, my dear, is the basic reason for why the no-bake/raw categories on my blog are the most extensive
Pride and Prejudice and Zombies had me laughing out loud. Oh and Cold Comfort Farm is always good for a laugh. I haven’t read The Pursuit of Love, I will add it to my reading list!
I’m with you on ginger – fresh or powdered fine, crystalised no go.
A woman once approached me in a hotel lobby in Savannah because she’d found it so delightful to see me reading and giggling in a corner of the breakfast room, and wanted to know what the book was. It was Cold Comfort Farm. “There’ll be no butter in hell!”
So glad others share my ginger eccentricities!
Believe me my friend when I say even though there is a lack of chocolate, this is an utterly delicious and fantastic post
Cheers
Choc Chip Uru
I rarely put chocolate in my kitchen creations, so I’m glad you think so!
Ooh me Ooh me! I like crystalized ginger and any ginger really.. be the sweets fairy for me and lets have a unicorn party Rake Sway Angle Babe? YES?
NAKED unicorn dance party, don’tcha mean?
You know I would love to make something, anything for you, just around the river bend!! Trying to find a time to come back to Melbourne… xo
I saw the caramel top n fill thing in the supermarket the other day and was wonder what I could do with it! Now I know!
Yep! Half for this slice, half by the spoonful direct to your mouth.
hahahha is this a jane austen novel? mmm i would totally take a not-so-dull hubby over those schmancy riches…
No, it’s Nancy Mitford, but it’s interesting you say that because it’s a similar satirical take on the upper classes at times
First of all, the term slice makes me smile, I guess because it’s not one we really use over here.
Hmmm, books…Angela’s Ashes makes me laugh, in sort of a oh-my-gosh-your-life-really-sucked-but-you-talk-about-it-humorously sort of way.
Yeah, you Americans and your “bars”. We prefer our bars to be places for drinking lots of The Alcohol.
So, you’re laughing with Frank McCourt, not at him?
Oh yum! And so simple to make.
I seriously love your baked good descriptions. Whatta flavour combination!
I am with you on the dislike of crystallized ginger – which is odd, because I so love the taste of fresh and ground ginger!
Aw, thank you! And hurrah, I’m not the only crazy ginger lady out there!
um awesome!! gah! I love the sound of this. So happy this saturday gave you some baking inspiration. I have not read much giggle worthy lately. Although my brother is constantly texting me pictures of animals doing silly things with funny captions. That’s giggle worthy
Heidi xo
Brothers creating laughter are just the best, aren’t they? My brother has sent me two youtube clips lately that I can’t stop watching and laughing over until it hurts – one is the Nasty Ass Honey Badger one, and the other is a clip of Frank Woodley from the 2010 Comedy Festival.
OMG i can’t believe i’ve missed so many of your posts lately! sorry been crazy before
But how could I miss this recipe! A no-bake caramel coconut ginger slice 
this looks great i can’t wait to try ~ thanks for sharing!
*laughs* No need to apologise, my dear! Life always takes precedence
I love ginger things too, although don’t like too much of a good thing, and can’t eat too much crystallized ginger by itself- but I reckon pretty much anything would taste ok when doused with caramel condensed milk. Damn.
Oh yes. Perhaps you could even be convinced to like peanut butter or coffee if it was doused in caramel condensed milk? …or maybe not.