Cherry Ripe

These taste very much like the original Cherry Ripe. This recipe makes 21 small bars. While coating the bars in chocolate can get a bit fiddly, it is definitely worth the effort.

Ingredients
200g glace cherries
2 1/2 cups desiccated coconut
1/4 cup water
1/4 cup, plus 2 Tbsp. coconut cream
1/3 cup soy condensed milk (if you don't have soy condensed milk you can use another 1/3 cup coconut cream with 1/4 cup caster sugar)
1 Tbsp. cornflour
300g 50% cocoa dark chocolate (I used Simon Coll, but really any dark chocolate can be used)

In a large bowl place half the cherries and the desiccated coconut, and leave aside.

In a saucepan over medium heat, mix the water and remaining cherries  (and sugar if not using condensed milk), and heat for 1-2 minutes. Lower the heat and add the condensed milk and 1/4 cup coconut cream. Stirring constantly, heat until the mixture just beings to bubble. Add the cornflour, and continue to heat until the mixture thickens. You may need to add a little more cornflour if your mixture does not thicken.

Remove coconut cream mixture from the stove, pour over the cherries and desiccated coconut, and mix until all ingredients are well combined.

Line a 9"x9" square cake tin with cling wrap, leaving enough overhang to cover the tin again. Spoon the mixture into the cake tin evenly, and pack in firmly with a spoon. Pull the remaining cling wrap over the baking tray, so that the mixture is completely covered. Flatten the mixture with your hands over the cling wrap so that the mixture is packed into the tin as firmly as possible. Leave in the fridge for at least two hours. The longer you leave it in the fridge, the easier it will be to handle.

The Cherry Ripe filling is ready when you are able to cut it into bite sized bars without them falling apart. If you cannot do this, refrigerate a little longer, or even try the freezer. When the filling is ready, cut the slice into little bars. Leave in the fridge while you prepare the chocolate.

In a glass bowl over a simmering saucepan of water, place the chocolate and 1 Tbsp. of coconut cream. Constantly stirring, heat until the chocolate melts. Make sure the water doesn't get too hot, because the chocolate will burn and get all lumpy (it's not very nice!). Every chocolate will behave differently, so only add the remaining 1 Tbsp. coconut cream if you need to thin down the mixture, or you may even need to add more than 1 Tbsp. The chocolate should be thin enough to coat the bars, but not so thin as to not set properly.

When the chocolate has melted, remove the saucepan from the heat, but leave the glass bowl sitting over the saucepan. Dip the cherry bars into the chocolate mix one at a time, making sure they're completely covered in chocolate. When all the bars have been coated, place in the fridge on a tray lined with baking paper or cling wrap, and refrigerate until the chocolate sets. Store in the fridge.

Update: I just came across a really good technique for coating the bars in chocolate, with clear instructions and photos to boot. I sure wish I had stumbled across this before my clumsy attempts at coating the bars! You'll find the instructions here.