The classic Aussie post-dinner indulgence. Two ingredients, twenty minutes, no skill required, and the result is the kind of after-dinner sweet you'd pay $30 for at a fancy chocolatier. Crystallised ginger from Buderim (the famous Queensland ginger town), coated in dark chocolate. Sharp, sweet, complex.

Perfect for the camp dessert that doesn't require any cooking equipment beyond a saucepan and bowl.

Photo by Marc Markstein on Unsplash

Time: 20 minutes (plus setting time) · Makes: a generous batch — enough for 6-8 people · Equipment: small bowl + saucepan, foil-lined tray

Photo: Marc Markstein / Unsplash

• 1 medium-sized block (200-250g) good-quality dark chocolate (70%+ cocoa works best)
• 1 packet crystallised ginger pieces (Buderim is the gold standard, but any quality crystallised ginger works)

1. Set up a double-boiler. Fill a saucepan with about 5cm of water. Put a heat-proof bowl on top — the bowl should sit on the saucepan rim, NOT touch the water below.

2. Bring the water to a gentle simmer. Not a rolling boil — too much steam ruins chocolate.

3. Break the chocolate into chunks and add to the bowl. Stir occasionally as it melts. Should take 4-6 minutes to become smooth.

4. CRITICAL — keep all water away from the chocolate. Even one drop of water makes melted chocolate seize into a grainy mess. No wet spoons, no drips from the saucepan lid, no humid kitchens if you can avoid it.

5. Off the heat, add the ginger. Tip the entire packet of ginger pieces into the melted chocolate. Stir gently with a dry spoon until every piece is well coated.

6. Cool slightly — wait 2-3 minutes so the chocolate is thick enough to coat without dripping off.

7. Spoon onto foil-lined tray. Heaped teaspoons, well-spaced. Each spoonful should hold one or two ginger pieces in a chocolate cluster.

8. Set at room temperature (cool weather, ~20°C) for 30-60 minutes, or in the fridge if it's hot — 15-20 minutes is enough.

9. Peel from the foil and serve with coffee after dinner. Store leftovers in an airtight container in a cool place; they'll keep 2-3 weeks.

• Quality of chocolate matters most. Lindt 70%, Cadbury Old Gold, Whittaker's Dark — splash out. The cheap "cooking chocolate" makes mediocre results
• Camp version: works perfectly over a 2-burner camp stove. Set up a small pot of water + heat-proof bowl on top, low heat. Same technique
• White chocolate version: works the same way. White chocolate seizes faster — work quickly
• Add chopped nuts (macadamia, almond, hazelnut) along with the ginger for a bigger texture mix
• Sea salt sprinkle: a tiny pinch of flaky sea salt on top of each cluster before they set takes them to another level
• Fancy version: dip the ginger pieces individually into the chocolate using a fork, place on the tray. More work, presentation-worthy results

One of those camping recipes that punches absurdly above its weight. 20 minutes of work, 2 ingredients, the kind of dessert that surprises everyone — including the camper who insisted they didn't want sweets after dinner.

Buy decent ginger, decent chocolate, keep the water away. That's the whole secret.