Fifteens

Or, food from HOME!

This is the perfect weekend treat. For me, if I close my eyes while eating these, I feel like when I open them again I'll be sitting in my local coffee place in Belfast. 

This is something they don’t really do in England, as I found out when I brought these to work. This is a Northern Irish staple sweet treat. And not a potato in sight! The are super popular to make at home with children because there's no heat involved (and it gets messy!). Every Northern Irish person will remember making these (and Mars bar buns!) as a kid. A home economics class staple.

The name comes, unsurprisingly, from the number of each ingredient needed! So it’s the easiest recipe in the world to remember and make. Sweet as anything, and like totally healthy because of the cherries. Ahem.

makes 15 (obvs)

Ingredients

• 15 digestive biscuits
• 15 marshmallows, halved
• 15 glace cherries, halved
• 160ml condensed milk
• A few handfuls of desiccated coconut

Method

Begin by bashing the digestive biscuits into crumbs. I usually place them in 2 plastic bags (so, one inside the other to make a double) and bash them with a rolling pin until you get coarse biscuit crumbs.

Then chop your marshmallows and cherries.

When all that is prepped, place your biscuits, marshmallows and cherries in a bowl.

Next, pour over the condensed milk and stir well until you get a sticky dough that is holding together.

This is when it gets messy!

Cut yourself a large piece of greaseproof paper and spread a thick line of desiccated coconut along the middle. Spread out your dough onto this and form a long cylinder by rolling it, helping it not to stick to the paper using more coconut as needed.

There are no photos of the inbetween stage because my hands were covered in batter

Roll up in the paper.

Place in the fridge to help it keep its shape while it chills and sets, for a few hours or overnight.

Slice into individual pieces about 1.5cm thick.

I normally serve in little cupcake cases, for convenience and cuteness.

Get it in my mouth. NOM