Bessie meets Ruth & Chocolate Slice

on the road to Esperance - a nostalgic photo by my sister, Jade

I really and truly have missed you all, and writing this blog. The clubhouse kitchen in the Lower East Side is just gonna have to cut it, - I need to keep cooking and blogging!

Especially because a) people keep annoying (ahem, encouraging) me about it, and b) because my Grandma Campbell gave me the BEST present EVER for Christmas last year…a handwritten book of recipes. And, not only a handwritten book of recipes, - it is also full of old family photos! Grandma, I know I told you already – but sincerely it was the best present ever!

from the new recipe book! (that's my sister & I with Grandma in about 1982)

 And, just to fill you all in on how everything works…. Bessie Pearl was my Mum’s Grandma, and so the original book of recipes comes from her. My Grandma Campbell, Ruth, is my Dad’s Mum, - and she has ALWAYS made the most delicious treats as well. She used to own a Pie Shop when I was really little, but I mostly remember the café she used to have after that in Esperance, where she lives. It was called Captain’s Cabin, and I can just see Grandma getting her Sausage Rolls ready for the day, or making toasted sandwiches.  Her Vanilla Slice people died for (although I am not a big fan of vanilla slice, and neither apparently is Grandma!).

So, Bessie Pearl, meet Ruth. The next chapter begins...

And to all of you… if you are going to encourage this incurable nostalgia that lives in me, well who am I to deny? I WILL COOK FOR YOU ALL!! Yay!

You all know I am a chocoholic, yes? Well, I have been having to curb the chocolate lately, (it’s a long story!), but of course the first thing I made from Grandma Campbell’s recipes was CHOCOLATE SLICE! HEL-LO… I was thinking this would be much easier than trying to decipher Bessie Pearl’s ‘recipes’, but it seems my Grandma is keeping on my toes, too. I couldn’t get a hold of her to ask (there’s one hell of a time difference between NY and Esperance!), - so I may have bastardised the Chocolate Slice, - she will have to let us know.. But, it was SO delicious. OH. MY. GOD. SO. GOOD.

Do it. You know you want to!

Ruth’s Chocolate Slice

4oz Butter

1/2 cup sugar

3/4 cup coconut (dessicated)

1 cup self raising flour (couldn't find any, so used 1 cup flour, 1 1/2 tsp baking powder & 1/2 tsp salt)

~

1 TBS butter

1 cup icing sugar (confectioner's sugar)

1 cup coconut

1/2 cup condensed milk

1 TBS coca

~ Mix together first four ingredients. 

~ Press into oblong tin (I actually used an 8" x 8" tin) and approx 20 mins. (Yes, this is what the recipe said!! haha! So, what? Chill 20 mins? Bake 20 mins? Set 20 mins?).. I guessed.... cooked 20 mins at 350f (180c))

~ Mix together next five ingredients

~ Spread on base when it had cooled (that gave me the hint to bake! Oh, plus the SR flour..!)

~Ice with chocolate icing (I mixed icing sugar, cocoa , vanilla essence and butter ala the cocoa tin recipe!).. 

Does it look right, Grandma? (It tasted awesome!)..