Guilty pleasures: Turn your favourite chocolate bars and snacks into the ultimate desserts

Transform your favourite chocolate snacks into the ultimate of desserts and give your old treats a modern take on deliciousness with these inspired recipes.

Slice image to go with Hibernation recipes.

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Keen to find another way to enjoy your favourite chocolate bars? Or want to know how to turn the treats you loved as a kid into something your children will love?

Read on.

MALTESERS CUSTARD SLICE

0:30 Prep, 16 Servings, Easy

Who cares if you ruin your appetite with a Malteser Custard Slice?!

INGREDIENTS

320g Arnott’s Malt ‘O’ Milk biscuits

300ml thickened cream

180ml (3/4 cup) Cottee’s Thick ‘N’ Rich Caramel Flavoured Topping, plus extra, to drizzle

360g (11/2 cups) Pauls French Vanilla Double Thick Custard

1 tablespoon gelatine powder

80g Maltesers

80g dark chocolate, melted

1 tablespoon vegetable oil

METHOD

Step 1

Grease the base and sides of a 4cm-deep, 23cm square cake pan. Line base and sides with baking paper, allowing the paper to overhang 2 of the sides. Arrange half of the biscuits over the base of the prepared pan, trimming to fit, if necessary.

Step 2

Use electric beaters to beat the cream and caramel topping in a large bowl until soft peaks form. Place the custard in a separate large bowl.

Step 3

Place 2 tbs. water in a small microwave safe bowl. Sprinkle with the gelatine and stir to combine. Microwave on High for 10 seconds (do not overheat). Use a fork to whisk until the gelatine dissolves. Set aside to cool slightly. Fold the gelatine into the custard then fold the custard mixture into the cream mixture. Spread evenly over the biscuit base and smooth the surface. Top with the remaining biscuits, trimming to fit, if necessary. Cover and place in the fridge for 6 hours or overnight to set.

Step 4

Coarsely chop half of the Maltesers. Mix the chocolate and oil in a small bowl until well combined. Spread over the biscuit layer then sprinkle with all the Maltesers. Return to the fridge until set. Remove the slice from the pan and drizzle over the extra caramel topping then cut into squares to serve.

SNICKERS TRAY BAKE SLICE

0:45 Prep, 0:30 Cook, 24 Servings, Easy

Snack away with Snickers Tray Bake Slices!

INGREDIENTS

200g butter, chopped

200g (1 cup, firmly packed) brown sugar

180g white chocolate, coarsely chopped

160ml (2⁄3 cup) warm water

60ml (1 ⁄4 cup) golden syrup

250g (1 2⁄3 cups) plain flour

50g (1 ⁄3 cup) self-raising flour

2 eggs, at room temperature

3 x 216g pkt Snickers Fun Size chocolate bars

180g dark chocolate, finely chopped

125ml (1 ⁄2 cup) thickened cream

160g (2⁄3 cup) dulce de leche (find at selected supermarkets) or thick caramel topping

40g (1 ⁄4 cup) crushed peanuts

METHOD

Step 1

Preheat oven to 160°C/140°C fan forced. Grease a 20 x 30cm slice pan. Line the base and sides with baking paper, allowing the paper to overhang the sides.

Step 2

Place the butter, sugar, white chocolate, water and golden syrup in a large saucepan over low heat. Cook, stirring occasionally, for 5 minutes or until smooth and combined. Remove from heat and set aside for 5 minutes to cool.

Step 3

Add plain and self-raising flours to the chocolate mixture. Stir until smooth. Add eggs, 1 at a time, stirring, until combined then pour into prepared pan.

Step 4

Finely chop 4 Snickers. Scatter over mixture. Bake for 25 minutes or until a skewer inserted into the centre comes out clean. Set aside in pan to cool.

Step 5

Meanwhile, combine the dark chocolate and cream in a microwave-safe bowl. Microwave on High, stirring every 30 seconds, until smooth. Place in the fridge, stirring occasionally, for 30 minutes or until chilled, thick and glossy.

Step 6

Spread choc mixture over cake layer. Arrange remaining Snickers on top. Drizzle over caramel. Sprinkle with nuts. Set aside to set before slicing.

ICED VOVO LAMINGTON CHEESECAKE SLICE

4:40 Prep, 16 Servings, super easy

A new take on old favourites – Iced Vovo Lamington Cheesecake Slices

INGREDIENTS

210g pkt Arnott’s Iced VoVo biscuits

210g pkt Arnott’s Iced VoVo lamington biscuits

2 teaspoons gelatine powder

500g cream cheese, at room temperature, chopped

100g (1/2 cup) caster sugar

1 teaspoon vanilla extract

METHOD

Step 1

Grease a 16 x 26cm (base measurement) slice pan and line with baking paper, allowing the paper to overhang the long sides. Arrange the pink Iced VoVo biscuits over the base of the pan, iced-side down (see notes).

Step 2

Place 2 tablespoons water in a small microwave-safe bowl and sprinkle with the gelatine. Set aside for 2-3 minutes to soften. Microwave on High for 20 seconds or until warm. Use a fork to whisk the mixture until the gelatine dissolves. Set aside to cool slightly.

Step 3

Meanwhile, use electric beaters to beat the cream cheese, sugar and vanilla in a large bowl until smooth. Beat in gelatine mixture until combined.

Step 4

Spoon the cream cheese mixture over the biscuit base and smooth the surface, covering the biscuits evenly and avoiding the gaps at the end of the short row. Arrange Iced VoVo lamington biscuits on top, positioning squarely over lower biscuits so you’ll be able to cut between them. Place in the fridge for 4 hours or until set.

Step 5

Lift out of pan and cut between biscuits, cleaning the knife between cuts, to make neat slices. Keep refrigerated until serving.

FLUFFY PINK SODA SLICE

9:00 Cook, Makes 16, Easy

Soda in a slice – Fluffy Pink Soda Slices.

INGREDIENTS

250g pkt Arnott’s Choc Ripple biscuits

100g butter, melted, cooled

PINK LAYER

85g pkt creaming soda-flavoured jelly crystals

250ml (1 cup) boiling water

375ml (1 1/2 cups) thickened cream

80g (1/2 cup) icing sugar mixture

Pink food colouring, to tint (optional)

WHITE LAYER

1 teaspoon gelatine powder

300ml thickened cream

45g (1/4 cup) icing sugar mixture

1 teaspoon vanilla extract

METHOD

Step 1

Lightly grease a 16 x 26cm slice pan and line with baking paper, allowing the paper to overhang the 2 long sides.

Step 2

Break up the biscuits into a food processor. Process until crushed. Add the butter and process until combined. Transfer to the prepared pan and use the back of a spoon to press mixture firmly and evenly over the base. Place in the fridge until required.

Step 3

To make the pink layer, place the jelly crystals in a heatproof bowl and pour in the boiling water. Stir to dissolve. Set aside, stirring occasionally, for 5 minutes or until cooled slightly. Place in the fridge, stirring occasionally, for 10-15 minutes or until mixture is thick and syrupy. Use electric beaters to beat the cream and icing sugar in a large bowl until soft peaks form. Gradually beat in the cooled jelly mixture, adding a few drops of pink food colouring, if using. Beat until firm peaks form. Spread over the chilled base and place in the fridge for 6 hours or until set.

Step 4

To make the white layer, place 1 1/2 tablespoons water in a small microwave-safe bowl and sprinkle over the gelatine and stir to combine. Microwave on High for 10 seconds or until hot (do not overheat). Use a fork to whisk until the gelatine dissolves. Set aside to cool slightly.

Step 5

Use electric beaters to beat the cream, icing sugar and vanilla until soft peaks form. Transfer a spoonful of the cream mixture to the gelatine mixture and stir until combined. Add the gelatine mixture to the cream mixture and beat until firm peaks form. Spread over the pink layer and place in the fridge for 2 hours or until set. Cut into squares to serve.

Originally published as Guilty pleasures: Turn your favourite chocolate bars and snacks into the ultimate desserts