Makes: about 30
Preparation time: 30 minutes
Cooking time: 10-15 minutes
Oven temperature: 180 °C

Base
• 500ml (275g) cake flour
• 500ml (160g) rolled oats
• 500ml (155g) desiccated coconut
• 60ml (20g) cocoa powder
• 10ml baking powder
• 370ml (340g) full-fat margarine (or half butter and half margarine)
• 10ml vanilla essence
• 250ml (1 cup) sugar

Icing
• 500ml (260g) icing sugar
• 30ml cocoa powder
• 10ml butter

1 BASE: Mix all the dry ingredients, adding a pinch of salt. Melt the margarine and stir into the dry ingredients, with the vanilla essence.

2 Press into a greased baking tray. Flatten the mixture using the back of a spoon or the palm of your hand.

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3 Use a fork to prick the mixture all over. Bake in a preheated oven for 10 to 15 minutes. Be careful not to over-cook as the mixture will burn.

4 ICING: Sift the icing sugar and cocoa powder together. Add the butter and a little boiling water. Stir well until the butter dissolves. It should form a smooth, spreadable mixture and should not be too thin.

5 As soon as the chocolate crunchies come out of the oven, pour the icing over the top.

6 Spread the icing with a palette knife or spoon. Cut into squares or rectangles while still warm. Leave to cool and set completely before removing from the pan.