Orange chocolate bars

Chef: The Irish Countrywomen's Association

Prep: 15 mins

Cook: 25 mins

These family favourites were so popular for birthdays and special occasions that I used to have to put them out of reach, which didn't stop my son from climbing on a chair to get them when I wasn't looking - Margaret Sides, recipe owner.

225g margarine

225g self-raising flour

4 level tbsp cocoa powder

170g porridge oatmeal

110g sugar

For the icing:

225g icing sugar

6 tbsp orange juice

4 tsp cocoa powder

Preheat oven to 180°Cj350°F/Gas Mark 4. Prepare two Swiss roll tins by greasing or lining with baking parchment.

Sieve the flour and cocoa into a large mixing bowl and stir in the oatmeal and sugar.

Melt the margarine in a saucepan and pour over the dry ingredients, mixing well.

Pour into two prepared baking tins and smooth out with a palette knife.

Bake in preheated oven for about 25 minutes before transferring to a wire rack to cool.

When the bar bases are cool, make up the icing one batch at a time.

Mix together half the sugar, orange juice and cocoa powder and smooth over the first bar base, marking out lines on the icing for dividing into squares or rectangles of required size.

Set aside to harden and repeat with the re maining icing ingredients for the second base.

Once the icing has hardened, cut into bars along the markings.

Store in an airtight container, where they will keep well for about a week.

Serves
makes two trays of bars

Preparation Time
15 minutes

Cooking Time
25 minutes

Main ingredients
Dairy, Chocolate, Sugar

Recipe Type
Cakes & Baking, Entertaining, Gifts, Cookies & Biscuits

Level of Difficulty
Easy

These bars freeze well, making them handy for baking in larger batches.