No-bake desserts

Coffee-caramel bars

Ingredients

400g can sweetened condensed milk

1/2 cup (100g) brown sugar

75g unsalted butter

1 teaspoon vanilla extract

1 teaspoon coffee

3 tablespoons golden syrup

4 cups cornflakes

1 cup desiccated coconut

4 tablespoons cocoa powder, sifted

1 cup (150g) icing sugar, sifted

250g butter

Method

Lightly grease a 2cm-deep,10 x 33cm loose-bottomed rectangular tart pan.

Place the condensed milk, brown sugar, butter, vanilla and golden syrup in a small pan.

Cook, stirring, over medium-low heat for 5-6 minutes until mixture is thickened and a golden caramel colour. Cool slightly.

Place half amounts of the cornflakes, coconut, cocoa, coffee and icing sugar in a large bowl. Melt half the butter in a pan over low heat. Pour over dry ingredients and stir to combine well.

Press mixture into tart pan, then chill for 10 minutes. Spread caramel over top, then chill in fridge for 30 minutes or until caramel has set.

Mix remaining cornflakes, coconut, cocoa, coffee and sugar. Melt remaining butter as above and mix. Press mixture over top of caramel. Return to fridge for 1 hour to set. Slice and serve.

Berry cheesecake

Ingredients

125g plain sweet biscuits, crushed

60g butter or margarine, melted

375g light cream cheese

1/2 cup sugar

375mL can evaporated milk

1 tsp vanilla

1 tbsp gelatine

1/4 cup hot water

300g mixed berries

Method

Combine biscuit crumbs and butter or margarine, mix well. Press into base of 22cm springform pan, refrigerate until firm.

Beat cream cheese and sugar until smooth. Gradually beat in evaporated milk and vanilla. Dissolve gelatine in hot water, cool, beat into cheesecake mixture. Pour mixture over crumb crust, refrigerate until set.

Decorate as desired with berries.

Triple-choc fridge bars

Ingredients

70g good-quality milk chocolate, roughly chopped

70g walnuts

70g digestive biscuits

70g good-quality dark chocolate

70g crunchy peanut butter

70g desiccated coconut

70g good-quality white chocolate

Method

Grease and line an 18cm square cake pan with non-stick baking paper so the paper hangs over the sides of the pan (to easily remove the slice).

Melt milk chocolate in a bowl over a pan of simmering water, then spread over base of cake pan. Refrigerate for 30 minutes until set.

Place the walnuts and biscuits in a plastic bag, seal, then beat with a rolling pin until broken into small pieces.

Place dark chocolate and peanut butter in a pan over low heat, stirring until chocolate has melted.

Add crushed nuts and biscuits and the coconut. Stir to combine. Spread over set chocolate and refrigerate for 30 minutes until firm.

Once chilled, lift slice from pan and cut in half length ways. Melt white chocolate in a bowl over a pan of simmering water and spread over one side of the slice, then top with the other half so that white chocolate is in the centre.

Refrigerate until firm, then cut into 12 bars.

Raspberry and mascarpone coconut ice

Ingredients

3 1/3 cups (500g) pure icing sugar, sifted, plus extra to dust

150g mascarpone

350g desiccated coconut

125g punnet raspberries

1 tsp vanilla extract

Method

Line a 20cm square cake pan with baking paper, leaving some overhanging.

Place sugar, mascarpone and coconut in a large bowl, then stir to combine. Transfer half the mixture to a separate bowl. Using a fork, crush 50g raspberries, then add to one bowl and stir to combine. Add the vanilla to the second bowl and stir to combine, then spread into the prepared pan and smooth the surface.

Spread the raspberry mixture on top and smooth the surface. Cover and chill overnight. Use the baking paper to remove the coconut ice from the pan, then cut into squares.

Serve scattered with remaining 75g raspberries and dust with icing sugar.