Coco Loco Chocolate Crackle Slice

Ingredients

• 150g (1 cup) plain flour
• 25g (1/4 cup) cocoa, (see Top tips) plus extra, to dust
• 175g unsalted butter, softened
• 55g (1/4 cup) caster sugar
• 2 x 380g cans Nestle Caramel Top 'N' Fill
• 190g (2/3 cup) smooth peanut butter
• 50g pretzel sticks
• 150g dark chocolate melts, melted
• 45g (1/3 cup) roasted salted peanuts

• Chocolate crackle balls

• 50g (1/2 cup) cocoa (see Top tips)
• 240g (1 1/2 cups) icing sugar
• 175g (5 cups) rice bubbles
• 200g unsalted butter, melted

Method

1. Preheat oven to 180C. Grease pan, then line base and sides with baking paper.
2. To make shortbread base, sift flour with cocoa into a bowl. Using an electric mixer, beat butter, sugar and 1/2 tsp salt until pale and fluffy. With mixer on low speed, gradually add flour mixture and beat until mixture just comes together. Press evenly over base of pan. Bake for 25 minutes or until firm. Cool.
3. To make filling, stir caramel and peanut butter in a small saucepan over medium heat until mixture boils and is smooth, then continue stirring for a further 2 minutes. Spread filling over base. Refrigerate for 4 hours or freeze for 2 hours or until firm.
4. To make crackle balls, line a tray with baking paper. Sift cocoa and sugar into a large bowl. Add rice bubbles and, using your hands, toss to coat. Add butter and stir until well combined. Using wet hands, shape tablespoons of mixture into balls, pressing firmly to compact. Makes about 70 balls. Place on a tray. Refrigerate for 20 minutes or until firm.
5. Meanwhile, line a tray with baking paper. Dip pretzels in melted chocolate and, using a knife, wipe off excess. Place on tray and set aside for 5 minutes to set.
6. Place balls in rows on top of filling, then scatter over peanuts. Cut slice into 16 squares. Top each square with 2 chocolate pretzels, then dust with extra cocoa to serve.

Notes

• 
  Allow an extra 4 1/2 hours to chill.
  Top tips: For a more intense chocolate flavour and richer colour, use Dutch cocoa, from delis.
  Instead of making balls, spread crackle mixture evenly over filling, then refrigerate until firm.
  To save time, use store-bought chocolate-coated pretzels from Asian food shops.