Hedgehog Slice
A classic no-bake chocolate Hedgehog Slice made with crushed biscuits and pantry staples, then topped with a simple chocolate butter frosting. This melt-and-mix slice takes just 15 minutes to make and simply requires a rolling pin, a saucepan and your favourite slice tin!
When it comes to treasured family recipes, they don’t get much more nostalgic than this no-bake Hedgehog Slice straight from my Nanna’s recipe tin!
It’s definitely a family favourite, along with our other no-bake slice recipes: Mars Bar Slice, Lemon Slice, and Peppermint Slice, which are all Annie favourites! The combination of crunchy biscuits, nutty walnuts and rich chocolate frosting creates that perfect texture we all love. There’s something truly special about recreating these simple treats that transports you back to your childhood. The first bite will always remind me of when my Nanna used to make it. I hope you enjoy them too!
Why We Love This Recipe
- No fancy equipment needed -make it by hand (although an electric hand mixer makes the frosting much easier).
- It’s one of those old recipes that everyone loves.
- Made with simple ingredients.
- It’s perfect for morning tea, afternoon tea and everything in between! And great for lunchboxes too.
- Easy to make with the kids (we grew up making this…completely by hand!)
- Unlike the versions made with sweetened condensed milk, this slice doesn’t need hours to set -it’s ready in 30 minutes!
- It’s a great nostalgic no-bake dessert that will always be the first to go at a party or bake sale!
Recipe Ingredients
for a full list of ingredients, see the recipe card below
- Marie biscuits, but any plain, sweet biscuit will work.
- Cocoa powder: while I do love the smooth, rich flavour of Dutch process cocoa, regular cocoa is what we grew up with.
- Egg to bind: even though this is a no-bake slice, the residual heat from the melted butter, sugar and cocoa will cook the egg.
- Walnuts: even my nut-loathing children will devour this slice, so don’t omit the walnuts -they add great texture!
Substitutions and Variations
This is such an easy hedgehog slice recipe, but feel free to play around with it and make it your own!
- Marie biscuits can be replaced with other plain biscuits, such as Digestive biscuits or Graham Crackers, or use Oreos, or even leftover homemade shortbread.
- You can also swap out the biscuits and replace them with rice bubbles.
- Don’t want the nuts? Swap them for dried fruit, M&M’s or just use more biscuits.
How To Make Hedgehog Slice
Step 1:
Place biscuits onto a sheet of baking paper or a silicone mat and crush them with a rolling pin, keeping some small chunks amongst the crumbs. Set aside. You can also just pop the biscuits into a plastic bag and run the rolling pin over it (if I do it this way, I need to use two ziplock bags, doubled up, as I’m pretty heavy handed!).
Step 2:
In a large saucepan, melt the butter and caster sugar, mixing until sugar has melted and beginning to bubble.
Step 3:
Add cocoa and mix well, then remove from the heat to cool slightly for a 2 minutes.
Step 4:
Stir in the beaten egg into the melted chocolate mixture.
Step 6:
Press mixture firmly into your prepared tin. Placing a sheet of baking paper over the hedgehog mixture and running the back of a metal spoon firmly along the surface will smooth out the mixture and prevent your spoon from sticking. Pop the slice into the fridge while you make the frosting.
Step 7:
In a medium bowl, cream the butter and icing sugar. This can be done with either a rotary whisk or a handheld electric mixer. It will remain crumbly.
Step 8:
Add boiling water to the cocoa and mix into a paste. Add the cocoa mixture to the butter and icing sugar.
Step 9:
Give it a good mix again. The frosting will come together into a smooth, stiff mixture -feel free to add a tiny bit more boiling water if you need to.
Step 10:
Spread the frosting over the hedgehog slice and make little swirly patterns. Pop in the fridge for the frosting to firm up a little, then slice into squares.
Expert Baking Tips
- When you’re crushing your biscuits, remember to keep some small pieces in your biscuit crumbs. It not only looks nice, but adds to the great texture!
- Using a sheet of baking paper and the back of a metal spoon really helps to compact the mixture and make a nice, sturdy slice.
Frequently Asked Questions
Can you freeze hedgehog slice?
This is the perfect slice to freeze! Just pop it into an airtight container and take out what you need, when you need it.
Can I use different mix-ins?
While Marie biscuits and walnuts are what we grew up with, mix it up and use Oreos, dried fruit. pistachios or even M&M’s!
Can I make the topping with chocolate?
Absolutely! Rather than using the frosting, make a chocolate topping by melting 250g of your favourite chocolate (dark is my go-to) with 2 teaspoons of vegetable oil or coconut oil, then pour that over the top of the slice instead.
Storage Tips
Room Temperature: The good about this slice is it won’t melt at room temperature. As long as it’s not too hot, it will keep in an airtight container for a day or two.
Fridge: No-bake Hedgehog Slice will keep well either covered in plastic wrap or in an airtight container for 5 days.
Freezer: It will keep for up to 3 months.
Hedgehog Slice
Equipment
- 1 20cm square pan
Ingredients
- 125 grams Butter
- 150 grams Caster sugar
- 2 tbsp Cocoa powder
- 1 Egg lightly beaten
- 2 tbsp Desiccated coconut
- 250 grams Plain sweet biscuits I use Marie biscuits
- 90 grams Walnuts chopped
Chocolate Frosting
- 135 grams Pure icing sugar
- 40 grams Unsalted butter room temperature
- 2 tsp Cocoa
- 1 tbsp Boiling water
Instructions
- Spray a 20cm square cake tin with cooking spray, then line with baking paper and set aside.
- Place biscuits onto a sheet of baking paper or a silicone mat and crush them with a rolling pin, keeping some small chunks amongst the crumbs. Set aside.
- In a large saucepan, melt the butter and caster sugar, mixing until sugar has melted and beginning to bubble.
- Add cocoa and mix well, then remove from the heat to cool slightly for a 2 minutes.
- Stir in the beaten egg, coconut, crushed biscuits and walnuts.
- Press mixture firmly into your prepared tin. Placing a sheet of baking paper over the hedgehog mixture and running the back of a spoon firmly along the surface will smooth out the mixture and prevent your spoon from sticking. Pop the slice into the fridge while you make the frosting.
Chocolate Frosting
- In a medium bowl, cream the butter and icing sugar. This can be done with either a rotary whisk or a handheld electric mixer. It will remain crumbly.
- Add boiling water to the cocoa and mix into a paste. Add the cocoa mixture to the butter and icing sugar, them mix again. The frosting will come together into a smooth, stiff mixture -feel free to add a tiny bit more boiling water if you need to.
- Spread the frosting over the hedgehog slice and make little swirly patterns. Pop in the fridge for the frosting to firm up a little, then slice into squares.
Notes
Tips
- When you're crushing your biscuits, remember to keep some small pieces in your biscuit crumbs. It not only looks nice, but adds to the great texture!
- Using a sheet of baking paper and the back of a metal spoon really helps to compact the mixture and make a nice, sturdy slice.
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