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Dessert · Australian

Chocolate Crackles

The classic Aussie party crackle made with Rice Bubbles, copha and cocoa, plus a quick spider variation for Halloween. No oven needed.

Prep
15 min
Total
45 min
Serves
24

Updated

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Ready in 45 min, serves 24.

Total time
45 min
Serves
24
Course
Dessert
Cuisine
Australian
Ingredients
7
Steps
6

Make ahead / storage: Keep in an airtight container at room temperature in a cool spot for up to 2 weeks.

Six chocolate crackles in paper patty cases on a white plate

Chocolate crackles are one of the few party foods that genuinely take less time to make than it takes the oven to preheat for something else, since there's no baking involved at all. Copha, the solid coconut-based shortening, is what sets the mixture firm once it cools, and it's the one ingredient here with no real substitute if you want the classic texture.

Melt the copha gently and don't let it get hot. Overheated copha can separate from the dry ingredients instead of coating them evenly, which leaves you with a crumbly mix that won't hold together in the patty pan.

Work quickly once the melted copha goes into the dry ingredients, it starts to firm up again as soon as it hits the cool Rice Bubbles. Have your patty pans or cases lined up and ready before you start mixing.

For Halloween, the spider version just needs a candy eye or two pressed onto the top while the mixture is still soft, plus thin strips of licorice poked in around the edge for legs. They look fiddly but take about a minute extra per crackle.

Recipe

Chocolate Crackles

Prep
15 min
Total
45 min
Serves
24

Ingredients

24 Servings

Crackles

Halloween spider variation (optional, per crackle)

Method

  1. Step 1: Line two 12-hole patty pan trays with paper cases, or grease the holes well if you're not using cases.

  2. Step 2: Melt the copha in a small saucepan over low heat, stirring occasionally, until just liquid. Take it off the heat as soon as the last lumps disappear, don't let it get hot.

    Tip: Overheated copha can split away from the dry mix instead of coating it, leaving a dry, crumbly crackle.

  3. Step 3: Combine the Rice Bubbles, icing sugar, cocoa and coconut in a large bowl. Pour in the melted copha and stir quickly until every piece of Rice Bubbles is coated.

  4. Step 4: Spoon the mixture into the paper cases while it's still soft, pressing down lightly to pack each one. Work fast, the mixture firms up within a few minutes as the copha cools.

  5. Step 5: For the Halloween spiders, press 2 candy eyes onto the top of a few crackles and poke in 3 short licorice strips on each side for legs while the mixture is still soft enough to hold them.

  6. Step 6: Refrigerate for at least 30 minutes, until firm, before serving.

Tips

  • Sift the icing sugar and cocoa together before mixing in the Rice Bubbles. Unsifted cocoa leaves bitter little lumps that don't dissolve once the copha sets.
  • If the mixture starts setting in the bowl before you've filled all the cases, sit the bowl over a pan of warm (not hot) water for a minute to loosen it again.
  • For neater edges, use an ice cream scoop to portion the mixture into the cases rather than a spoon.

Variations

  • Melted chocolate version: skip the icing sugar and cocoa, and instead melt 200g chopped dark or milk chocolate with the copha for a richer, less sweet crackle.
  • Nut-free: this recipe is naturally nut-free, just double check your chocolate or licorice brand if you're catering for allergies.
  • Christmas colours: swap the licorice legs for red and green sprinkles scattered on top before the mixture sets.

Storage and make-ahead

Keep in an airtight container at room temperature in a cool spot for up to 2 weeks. In hot weather, store them in the fridge instead, copha softens and the crackles can sweat if left out on a warm day.

Nutrition per serving, estimated

Calories
95
Protein
1g
Carbs
10g
Fat
6g

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