So we recently celebrated my Dad’s birthday and he’s a meeegggaaaa coconut fan. He pretty much likes any dessert that involves coconut, or anything old school, particularly if it’s covered in custard.

I mean, I’m totally down with that mindset – and while I love a posh dessert or a complex sweet treat – sometimes simple and old fashioned is the best….right? Anyhow, this pops of mine……he loves him a raspberry ruffle and has been treated to raspberry ruffle themed desserts for years now – from cheesecakes to full on birthday cakes and ice cream.

This year, however, I was in Amsterdam just before his birthday and time was super short so my sister took the baking reigns and made my Dad some homemade raspberry ruffle traybakes.

Now…..when i say these are good……these are really really really good. And what’s more – they are so darned simple I’m pretty sure ANYONE could make them. Throw the ingredients into a bowl and allow it to set kinda simple.

Dare I say they are better than the original…….#fuckit I will…….they are better than the original for three reasons; 1: because they taste awesome 2: they aren’t full of bollox preservatives and chemicals and 3: you get the credit for being the most amazing baker ever!!

This recipe comes from a baker on allrecipes.co.uk called NigellaLawless though I made a few little tweaks. It can be rolled into balls and dipped in chocolate to make little bite-sized treats or shaped into the traditional ruffle bar shape and covered all over in chocolate. Really up to you, but I kept it simple and made a traybake out of it.

So, if you got a nutty coconutty lover in your family, give these a go – you won’t be disappointed!!!

Ingredients

• 340g grated coconut (two packets from the supermarket normally)
• 2 packets raspberry jelly crystals
• 120g icing sugar
• 1 397g tin light condensed milk and 1 397g sweetened condensed milk
• 1 tsp vanilla extract
• 1 tsp salt
• 400g plain chocolate

Method

1. Put the coconut, jelly crystals, sugar, condensed milks, vanilla and salt into a large bowl and stir together till it’s all an even pink colour and well combined.
2. Pour it into a tin and leave it in the fridge for a couple of hours to set.
3. Melt the chocolate in the microwave or a bain marie until nicely melted and pour over the coconut base and leave to set.

* I grated some white chocolate over this while the chocolate was still runny, but you could also melt some white chocolate and marble it through the plain chocolate. Topping it with freeze dried raspberries would also be pretty darned special.