Crunchies

🥣 These crunchies are South African oat and coconut squares, not a puffed caramel confectionery with a similar name.

Ingredients

• 180 g rolled oats
• 120 g T55 wheat flour
• 100 g shredded coconut
• 120 g brown sugar
• 150 g butter
• 50 g golden syrup
• 3 g baking soda
• 15 ml hot water

Preparation

Preheat the oven to 165 °C. Line a rectangular mold of about 23 × 28 cm. Mix oats, flour, coconut, and sugar.

Gently melt the butter with the golden syrup in a fairly tall saucepan. Remove from heat.

Dissolve the baking soda in hot water, then add it to the butter: the mixture may foam. Pour over the dry ingredients and mix thoroughly.

Spread into the mold and press with the back of a spoon, avoiding very thin corners.

Bake for 22 to 25 minutes, until uniformly golden. The center remains slightly soft when removed from the oven.

Wait 10 minutes, then score twenty squares. Let cool completely before separating the pieces.