ADULTS-ONLY HEDGEHOG.

With dark chocolate, dried figs and whisky. Because why should kids have all the fun?

I grew up on the classic Australian children’s treat – chocolate hedgehog biscuits - and seemed to have turned out okay. But why leave something so joyous, crunchy and happy-making in the past? 

So I’m taking that childhood recipe and turning it into one for grown-ups.

That means using the bittersweetness of dark chocolate and Dutch cocoa powder with the seediness of dried figs and a good dash of whisky.

The end result is like Hedgehog Goes To Hollywood – it’s rich, dark and thick, the perfect little bite with coffee, or with a glass of something raisiny like David Lowe’s Lowe Muscat.

It’s not just Australia that has a ‘hedgehog’ recipe, as many of you from other lands would know. The biscuit cake is the next incarnation of the chocolate salamis of the early twentieth century. No doubt promoted by biscuit manufacturers across the globe, it pops up everywhere, from the Malaysian batik cake, to the kiksekage of Denmark. England’s Prince William apparently grew very fond of it during his afternoon teas with the late Queen Elizabeth.

’Twas then I realised that good old hedgehog could be born again as an Australian version of Italy’s panforte; that wonderfully medieval dense, peppery, spicy cake served during the Christmas festivities in Siena. So I added pepper and cinnamon as well, for their Siennese vibe.

It ain’t hedgehog any more, perhaps, but it still speaks to our inner child while having an intelligent conversation with our adult brain. 

DARK CHOCOLATE AND WHISKY HEDGEHOG

• 250g plain or digestive biscuits

• 2 tbsp walnuts, toasted

• 2 tbsp dried figs, chopped

• 2 tbsp shredded coconut

• 100 g butter

• 100 g light brown sugar

• 2 tablespoons Dutch (bitter) cocoa powder

• 100 g dark chocolate (70% cacao), chopped

• 1 medium egg, beaten

• 1 tbsp whisky or bourbon

• Half tsp ground black pepper

• 1 tsp ground cinnamon

• Good pinch of sea salt

• 1 tbsp bitter cocoa powder or icing sugar for serving

Line a 20cm round or square tin with baking paper.

Chop the biscuits and place in a large bowl with the walnuts, figs and coconut.

Melt the butter and sugar in a pan over low heat, stirring until the sugar has dissolved.

Remove from the heat, and add the cocoa powder and chocolate, stirring until all is melted and smooth.

Cool for 5 minutes, then whisk in the beaten egg, whisky, pepper, cinnamon and sea salt, mixing well.

Pour the mixture over the biscuits and toss until well coated.

Tip into the prepared tin, pressing the mixture down firmly and evenly.

Refrigerate for two or three hours until firm.

Flip the biscuit cake over so that it is flat on top, and sift bitter cocoa powder or icing sugar over the top.

Cut with a sharp knife to serve.

# You need crunchy biscuits. I’ve made this with McVities Digestives, which were great, and Arnott’s Milk Coffee, which had the edge with a better snap. Nice, Marie, all good.

# Chopping the biscuits by hand will give you a good mix of randomly sized pieces and a bunch of crumbs as well, that will be absorb the chocolate mixture.

# If you find any big bits of biscuit when tossing them in the chocolate, eat them.

# To press the mixture down into the pan, cover with a sheet of baking paper and use the smooth base of a saucepan on top, applying an even pressure.

# If you don’t wish to use an egg, swap it for 100 ml sweetened condensed milk. You’ll get a sweeter outcome, but the bitter chocolate will keep it in check.

# The Starward Octave Barrels single malt was magnificent in this (thanks, Yalumba!), and so was the Woodford Reserve Double Oaked Kentucky Straight Bourbon Whisky Rockpool 2020 Batch 2 (thanks, Frank!).

# Hedgehog is often coated with chocolate icing and sprinkles. I don’t believe this adult version needs it, but I will not stand between anyone and their hundreds and thousands.

# Store in the fridge for up to a week, and always serve cold.

# I loved it with bitter cocoa powder on top, and with icing sugar on top, but the cocoa powder won. What think you? Dark and satanic, or white and light?

Thanks for dropping by! And as always, thanks for your comments and suggestions. Special thanks to Terry for thinking it was a good idea to set out a platter of adult hedgehog and crack open the highly delicious Lowe Muscat last night when we got home late after a restaurant review.

And huge thanks to David Lowe and Kim Currie and Lowe Family Wines for their wonderful support for the Two Good Foundation. This single wine-making family from Mudgee have committed to contributing the wines for our very special fund-raising dinner every year; which is so typically generous and remarkable and much appreciated and enjoyed.

I would also like to acknowledge the traditional owners of the lands and waters upon which I work, live, cook and play; the Gadigal people of the Eora Nation, and pay my respects to Elders past and present, and to the continuing strength and resilience of First Nations people, communities and cultures.