Espresso Hedgehog

The hedgegog of my childhood was a plain affair, no nuts, fruit, or fancy flavours. It was the basic biscuit mixture with chocolate icing and coconut. Interestingly, it was made in a loaf tin and not a slice tin. My mother iced all the sides with thick chocolate and rolled it in coconut. When set, it was sliced into thick slices and then the slices were cut into four, each piece had two sides with icing and the ratio of icing to base was high. It was considered a special treat and we all loved it. The memory lingers but I think I would find the hedgehog of my childhood too sweet and a bit sickly and I much prefer coffee to chocolate. This is taking the memory of the thick icing and coconut and the simple base and reworking the flavour to suit my adult palate.

It is another version of this mocha hedgehog, however this one has a stronger coffee flavour due to the coffee icing.

Espresso Hedgehog

125 g butter 2/3 cup caster sugar 3 tablespoons cocoa 1 egg 1/2 cup coconut 1 tablespoon instant coffee dissolved in 1 tablespoon hot water 1 packet Marie biscuits, broken into smallish pieces

Coffee Icing 1 family block white chocolate -180g approx 60 g butter 1 cup pure icing sugar, sifted 1 tablespoon instant coffee dissolved in 1 tablespoon hot water Coconut to decorate

Melt butter and sugar over low heat.

Add cocoa and stir thoroughly, remove from heat.

Add coffee mixture, coconut and egg, mix well.

Add broken biscuits, smashing any large pieces as your stir it.

Press mixture into a greased and lined slice tin and refrigerate while making icing.

Spread icing over slice, use a wet knife to smooth and sprinkle with coconut and refrigerate for several hours/overnight

Cut into smallish squares or fingers  and place in an airtight container. Store slice in the fridge.

Coffee Icing

Melt butter and chocolate together in a bowl over saucepan of hot water or the microwave . I use the microwave on medium power with 45 - 60 second bursts of power.

Add sifted icing sugar and coffee mixture, mix well. If icing is a little stiff add a little more hot water a teaspoon at a time.