Helen's recipe book is an absolute classic. The thumb-sized, cut-away chapter markers have long worn out and the handwritten recipes have faded with time. Recipe snippets cut from 40 years ago still grace the pages, though many recipes are stained or adorned with remnants of food that has fallen on the pages while cooking. If ever there was treasure in Helen's kitchen, her recipe book is it, and this honey cake is one of the treasured recipes included in it.

Ingredients

• 6 cups rice bubbles
• ½ cup desiccated coconut
• 3 tablespoons honey
• 3 tablespoons sugar
• ½-1 cup chocolate chips

Method

1. Lightly grease a deep-sided 20cm x 30cm slice tin or line with baking paper.
2. In a large bowl, stir together the rice bubbles and coconut.
3. Put the honey and sugar into a small saucepan and stir over a low heat until the sugar has dissolved. Bring to the boil and boil for 5 minutes.
4. Pour the hot syrup over the rice bubbles and coconut and stir quickly to mix. Add the chocolate chips and, when well-mixed, transfer to the prepared tin, pressing the mixture down firmly with your hand.
5. Stand for 5 minutes and cut into squares while warm. Refrigerate until ready to eat. Break off or cut into squares to serve.

Cooks Tips

- Cakes or breads baked with honey tend to brown more readily. This is due to the fructose content of the honey, which browns more intensely than sucrose (sugar). If baking begins to brown too much, cover with a piece of paper or baking paper.

- Honey is hygroscopic (it attracts moisture). When used in baking, it will help cakes and loaves remain moist.

- Honey can be substituted for sugar. Allow 1 measure of honey for every 1¼ measure of sugar (for example, 1 cup honey to 1¼ cups sugar), cutting back a little on the liquid used as honey does contain some water.