Crunchy Chocolate Slice Recipes

SWEET AND SALTY CRUNCHY NUT BARS

Steps:

• Be still my beating heart! Or perhaps this is not the best thing to say here, given the likelihood of this lusciously over-the-top piece of chocolate excess inducing just such an outcome. I wouldn't want to make this very often, so impossible is it to walk away from with any conviction. I fear it is the kitchen equivalent to crack cocaine.
• Still, as the French say "Everything in moderation, even moderation." This is gloriously intemperate, riotously vulgar. I love it.
• The key is the blaring balance between sweet and salty: it's like several klaxons going off in your head as you eat. And it's strange that while I would normally eschew an all-milk chocolate offering, I prefer it here to the bittersweet-and-milk mixed version. Not that either is bad, and since the jury is matched on this, I feel it only right to alert you to either option. For what it's worth, I like the darker version in the round pan and cut into panforte-type skinny wedges, and my preferred milk chocolate version set in a rectangular pan and cut into chunky, squat slabs (rather as I feel and look like after eating too many of them).
• Line your springform pan with aluminum foil or use a foil pan.
• Break up or chop the chocolate into pieces, and drop into a heavy-based saucepan. Add the butter and syrup, put on a low heat, and melt gently together.
• Tip the peanuts into a bowl, and crush the honeycomb candy with your hands, letting the golden-glinting rubble fall into the nuts.
• Take the melted chocolate mixture off the heat and stir in the peanuts and crushed honeycomb candy, then tip straight into the springform pan or foil pan. Smooth the top of the mixture as much as you can, pressing down with a silicon spatula or vinyl-disposable-gloved hand. Put into the refrigerator for about 4 hours, and once set, cut into slices as desired.
• Make Ahead Note: The bars can be made 1 day ahead. Transfer slices to airtight container, layered with parchment paper, and store in refrigerator. Keeps for 3 to 4 days.

CHOCOLATE CRUNCH

Steps:

• Heat the oven to 180C/160C fan/gas 4. Butter a 20cm square tin and line with baking parchment. Stir the melted butter and vanilla together in a bowl. Mix the caster sugar, flour and cocoa together in another bowl.
• Pour the bowl of wet ingredients into the dry and beat together, then add the egg and beat again until combined. Press into the prepared tin. Brush the top with water and sprinkle over the granulated sugar.
• Bake for 30-35 mins. Leave to cool slightly in the tin for 5 mins before slicing into squares and transferring to a wire rack to cool completely.

CRUNCHY CHOCOLATE SLICE

Steps:

• Melt butter and golden syrup and choc in the microwave and stir then gently mix in cornflakes, coconut and almonds.
• Press into slice tray and refrigerate until set and cut. Important the mix shouldn't be too dry, but still a bit wet. Otherwise will crumble when cut. Can add more chocolate to get consistency right if necessary or slowly slowly add the cornflakes aiming for amounts above.