For a variety of reasons, I’ve been feeling horribly, inescapably homesick over the last couple of weeks. And sometimes, when you’re far away and the cure – going home – is impossible, you need to bring a bit of home to wherever you are.
Mars Bar Slice is pretty much a childhood staple where I’m from, and there’s no question why. It’s gooey, crunchy and chocolatey, with just a hint of caramel flavour from the Mars Bars. It’s incredibly fast to make, there’s no oven baking time, and it’s deliciously, unapologetically calorific. It was one of the first things I ever made with my grandmother when I was a very small girl, and it immediately takes me back to sunny afternoons in her garden, drinking lemonade and eating home made picnic fare on a blanket under the lemon tree.
Sometimes you just need a taste of home, you know?
MARS BAR SLICE
50g butter
1 tbsp golden syrup
4 x 54g Mars Bars
60g Rice Bubbles (or Rice Krispies, if you’re not from Australia or New Zealand)
200g milk chocolate
20g Copha/Crisco/Trex/whatever vegetable shortening you can find
MAKES APPROX. 21 SERVES
1. Grease and line a rectangular baking tray with either foil or baking paper, then set aside.
2. Slice each Mars Bar in half lengthways and then cut into small pieces.
3. Cube the butter and then place it in a small saucepan with the golden syrup and the Mars Bar pieces, stirring continuously over a low heat for approximately five minutes, or until the mixture has melted together and is smooth, thick and glossy. It may take several minutes for the nougat from the Mars Bars to fully melt into the mixture – just keep stirring, it will happen! Remove from the heat when the mixture is ready.
4. Pour the Rice Bubbles/Rice Krispies into the melted Mars Bar mixture and stir to combine. The mixture will become very, very thick and sticky extremely quickly.
5. Spoon the mixture into the prepared tin and press it down and into the corners with either your fingers or the back of a metal spoon so that it sticks together and the surface is smooth.
6. Place the tin into the fridge for 20 minutes to cool and harden the mixture.
7. Meanwhile, get your ch0colate, break it into pieces and place it in a microwave-safe bowl.
8. Add 20g of chopped vegetable shortening to the chocolate pieces.
9. Microwave in 30 second blocks of time, removing the bowl and stirring before each new burst in the microwave. The chocolate and shortening should melt together and be shiny and smooth.
10. Remove the tin from the fridge and pour the melted chocolate over the base of the slice so that the surface is completely covered.
11. Return the tin to the fridge for a further 30 minutes so that the chocolate can fully set.
12. Once the chocolate is fully set, remove the tin from the fridge and carefully lift the slice out of the tin by slowly lifting the sides of the foil/baking paper. Peel away the foil/baking paper and place the slice on a clean chopping board.
13. Using a large knife (I run mine under hot water for a few seconds to heat the blade), cut the slice into square pieces and serve. It will keep in an airtight container at room temperature or in the fridge for several days – except you probably won’t be able to resist it long enough for it to get anywhere near going bad!
Enjoy! x
Cloudberry Dreams 