I recently got my summer edition of BBC’s good food magazine
and as the weather has been pretty rubbish up here in Scotland this summer, it
certainly brightened my day up as is was pushed through the letterbox.
My subscription comes courtesy of magazine.co.uk who kindly
gave me the subscription in return for me writing some posts about the
magazines I get. I love my food magazines and spend ages pouring through them.
I also like adapting recipes from them!
In the good food magazine I saw a recipe for chocolate and
coconut bars which did look delicious, but I had ideas… I had bought some lavender
sugar the week before and I was dying to try it, so I decided to swap half the
caster sugar in the recipe for that. Then I decided to add, instead of dried
berries, some dried lemon peel I had in the cupboard. You could substitute
any lemony jelly type sweet also, if you cut it into little bits here. Lemon
and lavender are a great flavour combination.
Lastly instead of milk chocolate I went for white chocolate
to sweeten things up more. The bars are made from egg whites, desiccated
coconut and some other bits. The bars are very crumbly when baked and cut up,
but that adds to the rustic nature.
The coconut texture is quite macaroon like (not to be
mistaken with macaron!) and the flavours of lemon and lavender really brighten
these little bars up.
If you would like to make lavender sugar, simply add some
sprigs of dried lavender into a jar of sugar, like you would for vanilla sugar.
The longer you leave the sugar, the more permeated it becomes with the lavender
flavour!
Thanks again to magazine.co.uk for the subscription. If you
would like to receive your magazines through the door, or gift a subscription
to someone (it really is the gift that keeps on giving!) follow the link to
magazine.co.uk.
Lemon Lavender Coconut Bars
lemon and lavender and topped
with white chocolate
Inspired by BBC good food
Cuisine: | Dessert | Category: | Bars | Yields: | 16 bars approx. |
Prep Time: | Cook Time: | Total Time: | |||
- 50 grams lavender sugar
- 50 grams caster sugar
- 2 tablespoons golden syrup
- 2 egg whites
- 160 gram can of coconut cream
- 2 teaspoons vanilla extract
- 250 grams desiccated coconut (unsweetened)
- 50 grams dried lemon peel or lemon jelly sweets chopped
- 150 grams white chocolate melted
- Line a 9”x9” square tin with greaseproof paper and preheat the oven to 180C.
- In the bowl of a mixer add the sugars, egg whites, syrup, coconut cream, vanilla and beat together until incorporated. Add the desiccated coconut and lemon peel and with a spatula fold these in to the wet mix until it is fully combined.
- Place the mix into the baking tin and flatten with an off-set spatula or similar so it is flat and even on top. Bake in the oven for approximately 25 minutes, or until it has turned golden brown on top and is firm to press.
- Allow to cool fully in the tin then gently remove and place onto a chopping board, peeling the greaseproof paper from underneath.
- Melt the white chocolate, either over a bain marie, or in the microwave and pour over the square of coconut bars. Allow to set fully – 2 to 3 hours.
- Cut into bars with a sharp knife, cleaning the knife off after every slice.
- Enjoy!
I love lavender but am wary about using the 'right' amount... Must face the fear!
ReplyDeleteYou do have to go sparingly Fan, too much and it's very soapy...
DeleteThat's a very good choice of flavours for this time of year, even if the weather continues to be disappointing.
ReplyDeleteThanks Phil, the bars brightened things up a bit...
DeleteI too have always wanted to try using lavender in my baking, but haven't felt brave enough! The lemon and lavender flavor combo is an interesting one too! Wish I was near by to try a square!!
ReplyDeleteI could bring some next month Lisa - might be a bit foosty by then though ;)
DeleteLemon and coconut always is a good combo. But lavender! That sounds even more amazing! I'm sold:) Well done indeed.
ReplyDeleteCheers Ben - you really must give it a try!
Delete