Coconut Ice

• Makes: 1 lb (450g)

• Ingredients
• ¼ pint (150ml) milk
• 1 lb (450g) caster sugar
• 4 oz (125g) desiccated coconut
• few drops of cochineal or yellow food colouring

• Method
• In a very large bowl, mix together the milk and sugar
• Microwave on high for 2 minutes to dissolve the sugar, stir 2 - 3 times
• Microwave on high for approximately 6 minutes more, or until the soft ball stage occurs (To test this, drop a little of the mixture into a saucer of cold water. When gathered up between finger and thumb it should form a soft ball.)
• Stir every 2 minutes and start testing after 4 minutes
• Stir in the coconut and continue stirring until the mixture turns cloudy
• Grease a 15cm/6-inch square tin and spread half the mixture into this
• Tint the remaining mixture a pale pink with cochineal or pale yellow with food colouring and spread over the white mixture
• When cool, mark into squares
• When cold, cut into neat pieces and store in an airtight tin.