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Taking time to live well
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Photography: Patricia Niven

Cake | Chocolate Coconut Squares

Iona Bower February 8, 2025

When only chocolate will do, bake these moist, coconutty squares for an oh-so-satisfying
cocoa nibble

Serves 9

150g coconut oil, melted and cooled

200g soft light brown sugar

1 egg

1 tsp vanilla extract or essence

60g plain flour

45g self-raising flour

30g cocoa powder

40g desiccated coconut, plus extra

for scattering (optional)

For the topping:

100g dark chocolate

100g soft, but not liquid, coconut oil

1 Preheat the oven to 180C/Fan 160C/Gas 4. Using a little of the coconut oil, grease and line a 20x20cm tin.

2 Place the rest of the coconut oil, the sugar, egg and vanilla extract in a bowl and stir until combined.

3 Whisk the flours and cocoa in a separate bowl to remove any lumps, then stir in the desiccated coconut. Make a well in the centre, pour in the coconut oil mixture and stir until completely combined.

4 Spread the mixture evenly into the lined tin and bake for 25–30 mins, or until just firm. Leave to cool in the tin.

5 Meanwhile, melt the dark chocolate in the cooling oven, then beat in the soft coconut oil until it’s a thick icing.

6 When the base is cool, spread over the icing and leave to set. Cut into 9 squares and scatter extra coconut on top, if you like. This will keep for up to five days in an airtight container.

Cook’s note: Coconut oil can be used like-for-like to replace butter in recipes. Depending on what temperature you store it at, it can also be solid in the same way as butter. The more refined coconut oil doesn’t have a distinctive coconut flavour and so works well in dishes that you don’t want to taste of coconut.

This recipe from our February issue is taken from Every Last Bite by Rosie Sykes (Quadrille). Photography: Patricia Niven

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Recipe | Coconut Kisses (Beijinhos de Coco)

Iona Bower February 11, 2023

Photography and Styling by Catherine Frawley

Their name means ‘coconut kisses’ in Portuguese. They’re typical party sweets, but this version has plenty of coconut

Makes about 20

1 can condensed milk
150g desiccated coconut (plus 50g extra to coat the outside)
30g butter

1 Melt the butter, condensed milk and coconut in a large pan over a low heat.

2 Stirring continuously, the mixture will thicken after about 5 mins. It’s ready when you can drag your spoon along the bottom and it takes a 2–3 secs to reform. Pour onto a plate lined with greaseproof paper and chill for 1 hr.

3Using a teaspoon, form into small balls and roll in the extra coconut.

Their name means ‘coconut kisses’ in Portuguese – and just like the brigadeiros, they’re typical party sweets, but this version has plenty of coconut

Cook’s note: These truffles will keep in the fridge for 5 days.

The Coconut Kisses are just one of the recipes from our February ‘Gathering’ feature which is a fiesta style Brazilian feast. It also includes recipes for Brazilian Cheese Bread, Chicken Croquettes, Brazilian Barbecue Steak with Salt, Sauce a Vinagrete and, of course, Caipirinhas. The issue is in shops now.

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  Buy ,  download  or  subscribe   See the sample of our latest issue  here   Buy a copy of our latest anthology:  A Year of Celebrations   Buy a copy of  Flourish 2 , our wellbeing bookazine  Listen to  our podcast  - Small Ways to Live Well
Feb 27, 2025
Feb 27, 2025

Buy, download or subscribe

See the sample of our latest issue here

Buy a copy of our latest anthology: A Year of Celebrations

Buy a copy of Flourish 2, our wellbeing bookazine

Listen to our podcast - Small Ways to Live Well

Feb 27, 2025
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The Simple Things is published by Iceberg Press

The Simple Things

Taking time to live well

We celebrate slowing down, enjoying what you have, making the most of where you live, enjoying the company of of friends and family, and feeding them well. We like to grow some of our own vegetables, visit local markets, rummage for vintage finds, and decorate our home with the plunder. We love being outdoors and enjoy the satisfaction that comes with a job well done.

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