• 1 Cup powdered milk
• 1 Cup rice bubbles
• 1 Cup icing sugar
• ½ Cup desiccated coconut
• 1 Cup mixed dried fruit
• 250 grams copha (kremelta), melted and cooled off
• 2 teaspoons vanilla essence

Honey Bubbles

• 125 grams Butter
• 125 grams Sugar
• 1 tablespoon Honey
• 5 Cups Rice Bubbles
• ¼ teaspoon Vanilla or Almond essence

1. Boil Butter, Sugar and honey together gently for 4 – 5 minutes
2. Carefully pour into Rice Bubbles (in a metal or glass bowl – not plastic) stir and add essence.
3. Press into a flat tin to set

You can buy commercially made bars similar to these but they are so easy and cheep to make – why buy them. If you want the fancy finish then try these ideas -

• Press small lollies like M&Ms or Chocolate chips into the top of the mix before it sets.
• Drizzle melted chocolate (white, milk or dark) over the top.

A.L. and Minty oaty things - Sample 1

Sample 1

• 1 packet crushed sweet biscuits
• ½ cup rolled oats
• 125 grams Butter
• ½ tin Condensed milk
• ¾ Cup Coconut

1. Microwave butter and condensed milk until butter is melted then mix till smooth
2. Crush biscuits in food processor then add rolled oats a pulse a couple of times
3. Add coconut to processor and the pulse while adding the butter / milk mix.  Do not over mix
4. Press into a slice tin or plastic slice n store type container and put in the fridge to firm up.
5. Ice with a mix of icing sugar, peppermint essence, blue food colouring and water

This was our first go and although it was nice and looked the part I dont think we used a lot of condensed milk in our baking in those days.

Sample 2

This recipe is the one that my children  made from an early age due to the ingredients being readily available and the ease of the instructions.

• 125 grams Butter
• 1 Tablespoon Cocoa
• 1 Cup Flour
• 90 grams Sugar
• 3 Weetbix
• 1 teaspoon baking powder

1. Put all dry ingredients into a bowl (crush weetbix by hand as you add them)
2. Melt butter and mix into rest of ingredients
3. Press into a slice tin
4. Cook for 15 minutes at 180°C
5. Ice while warm with peppermint icing
6. When cool, ice with chocolate icing.

Although we didnt quite stick to the brief for this one – we coloured the peppermint icing green instead of blue – there were no leftovers.

Sample 3

Anne-Louise didnt think the base of her memory slice had any cocoa in it so we  made sample 2 a second time and omitted the cocoa.

Minty oaty things - Sample 2 & 3

Well. That was the end of the first phase of experiments to recreate the AL Memory Slice. Although all the samples were good and gobbled up I got the feeling that we hadn’t managed to recreate a slice that matched the memory…. but we will keep trying next time she comes to Brisbane.

What it did confirm was that I have obviously liked the colour Blue for longer than I realised.

Griffins Malt Biscuits

• 50 gms Brown Sugar
• 100 gms Butter
• ¼tin Sweetened Condensed milk
• 1 Table spoon Golden Syrup

1. Melt together and boil over low heat for 5 minutes. Stir all the time.
2. Add -

• 1 Packet malt biscuits – crushed well
• 1 teaspoon Vanilla essence
• ½ Cup Sultanas

1. Mix well and press into a flat tin
2. Set in the fridge

Coconut Ice

• 2 ½ Cups Icing Sugar
• 1 ½ Cups Coconut
• ½ teaspoon Vanilla Essence
• ½ – 1 Cup of cold mashed Potato
• Red food colouring

1. Sift Icing sugar into a bowl.
2. Add Coconut and mix together
3. Mix Potato and vanilla then add to dry ingredients.
4. Knead until smooth – adding extra Icing Sugar so it is not sloppy.
5. Press half of the mix into a greased tin.
6. Colour the remaining mix pink and press on top.
7. Cut before it sets to firm.

Variations: Green with Peppermint essence, Yellow with Lemon essence, Pink with Rose essence……..

Karens Caramel Corn

• ½ Cup unpopped popping Corn
• 2 Tablespoons Oil
• 125 grams Butter
• 2 Tablespoons Honey (or Golden Syrup)
• ¾ Cup Sugar
• ½ Cup Peanuts (optional)

1. Follow packet direction to op the corn in the oil (may need to be done in 2 batches)
2. Combine Butter, Honey and Sugar in a pot.
3. Heat over a low heat to dissolve.
4. Boil uncovered for 5 minutes – stir occasionally.
5. Pour into popped corn (and peanuts if using) and stir to combine.
6. Spread on baking sheets to set then break into chunks.
7. Hide until ready to serve

Variations at step 6 – Cool slightly and roll into balls,   or  Press into tin then cut into squares before it sets hard.

Chocolate Fudge Slice

• 125 grams Butter
• 1/2 Cup Sugar
• 1 Tablespoon Cocoa
• 1 teaspoon Vanilla
• 1 Egg
• 1 Packet plain biscuits (250 grams) Crushed

1. Melt Butter, Sugar and Cocoa.
2. Cool slightly then beat the egg in quickly.
3. Pour into Crushed Biscuits and mix well.
4. Press into a greased slice pan.
5. Ice with chocolate icing and sprinkle with coconut, 100s & 1000s etc

Please feel free to add your favoutite variations via a comment.

• 115 grams Pure NZ Butter
• 1 packet (250grams) Griffins Malt biscuits
• 1 packet (180 grams) Fruit Puffs (or 20 Eskimo lollies)
• 1/2 Can (200 mls) Highlander Sweetened Condensed Milk

1. Crush biscuits in blender, processor or plastic bag with rolling pin.
2. Chop lollies into thirds (Eskimos into 6 )
3. Warm butter and condensed milk.
4. Add Lollies and Biscuits and mix well.
5. Form into a log and roll in coconut.
6. Wrap in foil or baking paper and refrigerate until firm.
7. Slice thinly and enjoy.

Jelly Cake with Strawberries and Cream Jelly

• 1pkt of jelly crystals
• 1½ cups boiling water
• 1 packet sweet biscuits
• 175 grams melted butter
• 1 teaspoon gelatine
• ¼ cup boiling water
• 1 tin sweetened condensed milk

1. Dissolve jelly in the first measure of boiling water, put in fridge to cool.
2. Crush biscuits and mix with melted butter, press into a 20cm square tin.
3. Dissolve gelatine in second measure of boiling water.
4. Mix with condensed milk.
5. Pour over biscuit base and return to the fridge to set.
6. When set pour over cooled jelly and return to fridge until set.
7. Cut into squares.

Dont try to rush this. Make sure the layers are set before adding the next.