sweet white squares of deliciousness

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The recipe calls these sweet white squares of deliciousness Australian White Christmas. I can’t bring myself to call it that. White Christmas in my head is a horrible taste memory that sits with childhood cake stalls, laced with copha, bulked up with a cheap rice bubble crunch and far too much icing sugar. Copha in my books is up there with finding slugs in your spinach moments before you eat it. The Monkeys (if I can help it) will never have to endure copha.

So why would I make something that is titled ‘Australian White Christmas’ given my taste bud association with the name?

Well one, because it’s in the SBS Feast magazine (surely THEY wouldn’t use copha) and two, because all the ingredients look like they would blend quite nicely- with a few minor change ups on my part.

Let’s give it a crack.

Oh! It’s good.

Really good. The good quality white chocolate I think makes a huge difference. Don’t bother buying ‘white chocolate’ if it doesn’t have cocoa butter in it. It’s just a concoction of sugar and some sort of vegetable/animal oil something or other. Go for the good stuff, (I use Whittakers.)

The macadamias give it some texture, and the odd cherry here and there, some colour. This one is super easy to make and cut up for a gift…

Or for a little after dinner nibble with an espresso or two and some lively dining table conversation.

Sweet White Squares of Deliciousness

adapted from SBS Feast Magazine- December issue

500g good quality white chocolate

395g can of condensed milk

100g macadamia nuts

100g glace cherries

50g desiccated coconut

1 tsp vanilla

In a pot over low heat melt the chocolate combined with the condensed milk, turn off the heat and add the rest of the ingredients. Spread mixture out into a greased and lined pan. Sprinkle with a little extra coconut and pop in the fridge for a couple of hours until firm. Cut into squares or logs for gifts.

48 thoughts on “sweet white squares of deliciousness”

  4. I agree with you about copha – sylvia has had it once in my chocolate crackle experiment but I can’t see a reason to buy it again – and not for white christmas – I am quite fond of the name – and would be very very fond of this slice with both white chocolate and condensed milk – hope you and your family have a great christmas with lots of yummy food like this

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  5. I think I escaped the Australian White Christmas copha ‘treats’ in my childhood – to my relief. Copha chocolate crackles and coconut ice were enough of an experience for me. This looks much, much better than anything you’d find at a school fete!

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  8. I haven’t touched white christmas in years – like you my memory is indelibly stamped with the awfulness (new word?) of the stuff. Yours looks great and so pretty all packaged up. I don’t use copha and I’d never really thought about it. A bit of googling and I definately won’t be using it now!

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  9. Sweet, sweet white chocolate squares. I imagine this to have the sweetness and texture of fudge? What is copha? I’m just about to try and find out. The bars look lovely all packaged up – I do think you are the queen of presentation. I still get lots of positive comments from folk who receive my chocolate paper wrapped parcels.

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    • It is a bit fudgey, I did wonder whether it should be compared to it, but I didn’t think it was quite soft enough. Although there is a bucket load of sugar in there, I don’t find it as rich as fudge either.
      That’s great that you get positive comments from the chocolate wrappers too 🙂

      (as for the copha, I love using coconut milk, cream, virgin oil- but copha… argh! Never.

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  10. That’s interesting, it seems copha is mainly used in Australia. Whilst coconut fat is meant to be very good for you, I don’t imagine that a hydrogenated version is. I dread to think what we put into our vegetarian hard white fat blocks here in the UK – I don’t use them.

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  15. White squares of deliciousness indeed! You had me at the white chocolate part and lack of copha..but then condensed milk? Oh yes, please!!

    The tweenlets keep using up my white chocolate in brownies..soo frustrating!! Must start a secret mama stash.

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  17. i’ve never been a fan of white christmas either because of the copha and i never made it for my children..but i did make chocolate crackles for them so i can’t take the copha moral high ground..unfortunately..:)

    your version looks really good though and i’m sure the lucky recipients will love it..

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  21. I’ve never heard of copha before.
    It doesn’t sound very appetizing- like the Velveeta cheese of the white chocolate world?
    Your bars look fantastic- and I, too, like the wrapped versions!

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  25. What a beautiful idea for chrissy presents. Must remember this one and your presentation in the wrapped cello is gorgeous. Don’t the old cake stalls have a lot to answer for. At least with you it’s tucked away in your memory bank and not being served up to your children – goodness the old copha is deadly stuff. I wonder how many people with diabetes today ate way too much copha in their childhood. Just pondering. Hope you had a lovely christmas. Mariana x

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