This recipe is taken from the 35th edition of one of my Be-Ro books, and is under the section of “cooking for children”, it’s Australian Crunchie, an easy tray bake biscuit, and is loved by all who tries one! Cornflakes, coconut and cocoa powder are the main ingredients in this recipe, with a naughty chocolate topping…….but, it does make 24 squares or triangles, so each portion isn’t too bad on the old calorie front, really! And, a little treat now and then does NO harm at all, especially if it is home-baked and you know what has gone into it, unlike most commercial biscuit bars, plus one batch of these made on “baking day” SHOULD last the whole week in the biscuit tin, as treats for ALL the family.
This is a handy recipe for the return to school, in just over two weeks time and the school lunch box!
These are a little different to the no-bake tray bakes, or “Tiffin” as they are sometimes called, as they are baked, but the baking with flour makes them more manageable and less prone to break up into pieces, so better for packed lunches and picnics. I have no idea where the name Australian Crunchie comes from, and I am hoping that someone may be able to tell me.
This version of the Be-Ro book is very much in colour and this particular edition was a gift to me from my mum, and is circa 1979/1980 – so its definitely considered vintage now!
Be-Ro 35th edition
It’s a brilliant little book with pages of helpful information, such as oven conversion temperatures, weights and measures in metric and Imperial and freezing tips too.
Be-Ro 35th edition
Be-Ro 35th edition
The recipe for the Be-Ro Australian Crunchies Traybake is below, and if you fancy making a batch of these Australian Crunchies and blogging about them, I have added a Blog Hop link below, so you can share your post link here, and we can all come to see what you have baked!
Be-Ro Australian Crunchies
Print recipe
| Serves | 24 |
| Prep time | 10 minutes |
| Cook time | 20 minutes |
| Total time | 30 minutes |
| Allergy | Wheat |
| Dietary | Vegetarian |
| Meal type | Dessert, Lunch, Side Dish, Snack |
| Misc | Child Friendly, Pre-preparable, Serve Cold |
| Occasion | Birthday Party, Casual Party, Christmas, Easter, Thanksgiving |
| Region | British |
| From book | Be-Ro Home Baking 35th edition |
Ingredients
- 225 g (8 oz) margarine (I used Stork margarine)
- 150 g (5 oz) caster sugar
- 75 g (3 oz) desiccated coconut
- 75 g (3 oz) crushed Cornflakes
- 1 x 15 ml spoon cocoa powder (1 tbsp)
- 150 g (5 oz) Be-Ro Self Raising Flour
Optional
- 50g chopped glacé cherries (different colours look nice)
- 100 g (4 oz) chocolate melted
Note
These old fashioned tray bake biscuits are always popular for tea time, school lunch boxes, cake stalls and any bake sale. They are easy to make and yield 24 slices, perfect for the week's treats on the biscuit tin!
Directions
| Step 1 | Heat oven to 180ºC, 350ºF, Gas Mark 4. Grease a Swiss roll tin 31 x 21 cm (12½ x 8 inch). |
| Step 2 | Melt the margarine over a low heat. Stir in the sugar, coconut, cornflakes, cocoa, chopped cherries (if using) and flour. Mix well. |
| Step 3 | Turn into the tin and level with a knife. Bake for 20 minutes. |
| Step 4 | When almost cold cut into squares or triangles. Cover with melted chocolate if wished. |
Janice says
They look great Karen, well done on hitting more than one challenge. I have this version of Bero cookbook, but really shouldn’t be making any chocolate treats at the moment, will just drool at the pics of yours.
Karen says
Thanks Janice, it was a last minute thing, when I realised that T could be a TRAY bake! 🙂 Karen
bakingaddict says
These look gorgeous!! I love Crunchies and tray bakes are one of the best things to bake. Love the sound of your Be-ro challenge too – I really need to get myself some be-ro books!
Karen says
Thanks Ros! You have 4 Be-Ro books already – so that is pretty good going!
Kate says
I am busy cooking for ZWT8 but I will be back to make this slice !
Karen says
Thanks Kate! ZWT is STILL going? That is a blast for the past! 🙂
The Kitchenmaid says
Ah, now I understand all that business on twitter about be-ro! These look exactly like the sort of thing my mum would have made for the shearers (and for our lunch boxes, if we were lucky) more than 30 years ago. I would love to bake along but I have eaten my fair share of cake this weekend and must just adore from afar. I might bookmark it for next week though!
Karen says
Thanks Lucy! Yes, this is the Be-Ro baking challenge, I will be sharing a new recipe every week! 🙂 Karen
Dom says
I love them Karen. I wish mum had made these for me to go to school with although I suspect I’d be even fatter today if she had… may have to make them anyway just cos they look so fine. Great T for Alphabakes and great we should cocoa too. Chocolate and cherries is heavenly !!
Karen says
Thanks Dom, mum was a wizard baker, and still is, and these were just a small part of her baking repertoire!
Laura loves cakes says
I wish I had gotten this in my lunchbox when I went to schoo! 🙂 They look fab!
Karen says
Thanks Laura, mum was and still is a great baker!
Choclette says
I’m with Dom and Laura and wish I’d had these in my school packed lunch – date and banana sandwiches were the best I got! They look delicious and as you know I’m all for treats – we need those too. I have baked something very similar a while back, can’t remember what they were called, but it wasn’t Australian Crunchies. Love those plates. Thanks for joining in with WSC 🙂
Karen says
I was lucky then wasn’t I?! This was part of mum’s baking days list of biscuit tin treats, and this tray bake makes 24 squares, so not so bad really!
Louisa says
I’m so going to make this tray bake. My kids (and me!) would love it. Really enjoying your new sepia series, and can’t wait to make the melting moments too….I have no idea how many thousands of these biscuits I must have made with my Granny and Great Aunty Marjorie over the years! Such a lovely blast from the past.
Karen says
Thanks Louisa, I LOVE my little Be-Ro books and I look forward to seeing what you make too! Karen
Denise says
How wonderful to have found this little beauty!
Karen says
SO pleased you like this Denise! 🙂 Karen
Johanna GGG says
Have just seen your Be-Ro series and am quite fascinated by it. I saw your melting moments and was amazed at how different they are to what we sometimes call melting moments in Australia (like yo yos – two short biscuits with a buttercream filling between them). I checked with my Scottish partner who had another idea of melting moments altogether.
And I had hoped this recipe actually had Australian crunchies in them as we were both having a conversation tonight about neither wanting to eat the crunches in a packet of chocolates. I think the chocolate bar I am talking about is quite similar to one you have in the UK. But then I looked at the recipe and all I could see that might make it Australian is the coconut – I have gradually come to notice that lots of my classic aussie recipes have coconut – not sure why. That’s my only guess. I am sure they taste great and I will try and keep up with the series.
Karen says
Thanks Johanna and thanks also for the heads up on coconut and the Australian connection! I think the melting moments you mention are the American style ones, and not the the British style ones….and yes, Scotland may also have another type too! I am LOVING baking my way through my old cookbooks and I am now plotting next weeks bake!
Vohn says
These look so yummy. I’m loving tray bakes right now, as I’ve been unwell for the past year so don’t have much energy and am currently only baking things which don’t require a lot of standing around! I’m off to make these RIGHT NOW – new year’s diet resolution out the window!
Karen Booth says
LOL! Sorry about that, but thanks for the comments! Karen
ashleigh says
These look great, would love these in my lunchbox!
Catherine says
I love these, used to make them when I was a child using the Be-Ro book! Will definitely be making them again!
Karen Booth says
Thanks Catherine, they are a real blast from the past! Karen
Maya Russell says
These look great to make – on a snowed in Saturday!
Ros says
Looks gorgeous – tweeted the recipe
Fiona Matters says
These look great. I can see why you love the bero books. They remind me of the chocolate conflake things I made at school in home ec. I think they were practically the first things I ever cooked! Shared on twitter.
UK writer says
Wow, this looks so delicious! I’ll make sure to cook it next weekend. I look forward to seeing new recipes from you, and I hope you will continue to make this type of content.
Karen Burns-Booth says
Thanks so much! Enjoy these when you make them, Karen
Lisa says
Finding this recipe has brought me so much joy and so many beautiful memories. It used to be something I made with my Grandma when I went to stay with her. I never found it again after she passed away, although I combed through all her recipe books. When I saw your post I remembered the little be—ro recipe book with its illustrations. It brings back so many memories of love, warmth and togetherness. She’s been gone for almost 20 years so making this recipe is like getting a hug from her. Thank you!!
Karen Burns-Booth says
Thank you Lisa, this comment has made me smile so much, I am really pleased that this has brought back happy memories 🙂 THANK YOU for stopping by to comment too, Karen
Lisa says
Just dropping back to your site again to use this recipe that I love so much. Thanks for maintaining it to be here for when my memories call!
Karen Burns-Booth says
My pleasure Lisa 🙂 thanks for your comment, Karen x
Anna says
Hi Karen,
I so enjoy reading your blog. Interesting how different the Australian Crunchies are from South African Crunchies :). Take care, Anna
Karen Burns-Booth says
Thanks Anna! Yes, melting moments are different in the UK from the US too!