Chocolate hedgehog – ready to be taken to the snow

200g plain biscuits like Marie biscuits, broken into very small pieces
2 tbsp dessicated coconut
2 tbsp cocoa sugar
125g caster sugar

100g finely chopped pecan nuts
100g chocolate, chopped
25g butter
1 tbsp golden syrup
1 egg, lightly beaten

Chocolate topping
200g dark chocolate, chopped
50g butter, chopped

Mixing the chocolate into the dry ingredients – these biscuit pieces are a bit too big you want them smaller than this

1. Lightly grease a shallow cake tin. Line the base and sides with baking paper.

2. Use a rolling pin to bash the biscuits into tiny pieces then combine them with the coconut, sugar, nuts and cocoa.

3. In a saucepan mix the chocolate, butter and syrup together over a low heat for 4-5 minutes until the mixture is melted and well combined. Cool it slightly then add the egg and pour the chocolate mixture into the dry ingredients.

4. Press the hedgehog mixture firmly into the tin with the back of a spoon. Chill in the fridge for 30 minutes until firm.

5. For the chocolate topping melt the chocolate and butter in a heatproof bowl over a saucepan of simmering water. Spread over chilled slice. Chill for at least 45 minutes until set (overnight is better).

6. Using a hot knife, cut slab into squares. Store chilled in an airtight container.

Cooled hedgehog ready to be cut into pieces

Serves a dozen hungry skiers.