Very Special DIY Gifts...Luxury Chanel Inspired Coconut Ice...

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  It's Coconut Ice, but not as you know it. For our U.S. friends, Coconut Ice is not an 'Ice' at all. It's more like a fudge, that's coconut flavoured and usually comes in a layer of white and a layer of pink, from baby pink to hot pink.   Yes this one is unique, it's different to pink and white. Unusual even.   Some might say, it's just not right.   But I can assure you that everyone I've ever gifted this too, was thrilled to bits.   And I never could resist taking an old favourite and turning it on it's head.   To make six slabs of Chanel inspired coconut ice, you'll need:   3/4 cup Sweetened Condensed Milk 1 cup of sifted Icing Sugar (confectioners sugar) 3/4 cup desiccated coconut 2 teaspoons Black gel food colouring (available from cake decorating specialty stores or online) 6 sheets edible gold leaf (from a cake decorating store...must be the edible kind) A large artists brush or pastry brush Small white fondant roses (hand made or purchased) A shallow rectangular plastic storage container, shallow baking tray or other container with straight edged sides, about 20cm x 20 cm (8 inches x 8 inches) lined with cling wrap or baking paper with an overhang so you can lift the coconut ice out easily   To package this you'll need:   Wide white ribbon Baking Paper Cellophane or organza bags or chocolate boxes   Then just:   Mix together the Condensed Milk and the Icing Sugar, then add the coconut, mixing well. Divide it in half, and leave one half white.   Press the white layer into the container, and smooth well.   Now add the 2 teaspoons of black food colouring to the other half of the coconut ice left in the bowl.

 Make sure you mix it really well, stretching it out with the back of a spoon and stirring it back in, a bit like kneading with a spoon.

Smooth this over the white layer with clean hands and the back of a spoon to even it out. A fondant smoother is handy for this if you have one.

Chill for an hour, then loosen the coconut ice with a thin knife around the unlined edges, and carefully lift it out. Cut it into six even slabs.

Tear off an 8cm (3 1/2 inch) wide strip of greaseproof or baking paper and fold it in three, finishing with the seam underneath. Trim it to fit around your slab. Repeat for the other five slabs. Cut a length of ribbon about 15-30cms (6-12 inches) long and have it ready, set aside, and repeat five times as well.

Take one sheet of edible gold leaf and place it face down on the black upper side of one of your slabs of coconut ice.

 Using the brush, rub in circles, on the back of the sheet of paper attached to the gold leaf, to encourage the gold leaf to adhere to the surface of the coconut ice. Continue to do this, using up as much of the gold leaf on the sheet as you can, until you're happy with the amount of gold embellishment.

Add the roses in one corner. If you've bought them from the cake decorator, they'll be on a stem which you can simply cut to length and stab into the top of the coconut ice. If they're supermarket or home made, you'll need to adhere them with a bit of icing. If you're a real stickler for detail, you'll make your own white fondant Chanel-esque camellias instead!

Wrap the folded length of greaseproof paper around one end of the bar of coconut ice, and tie it in place with the length of ribbon.   And you're done. Slide these into cellophane or organza bags, or recycled chocolate boxes for gifting.   Enjoy the sighs of delight and surprise when opened!  

...Mimi...