Coconut Almond Mounds of Joy

Sometimes you feel like a nut, sometimes you are one.

These chewy little morsels were concocted when Tall Dark and Handsome said “I could really go for an Almond Joy right now.” As his luck would have it, he has a partner who loves to cook, who loves to see TDH smile, and one whom also just happens to have an over stocked pantry at all times.

During the holidays I took advantage of coupons and sales and further stocked up on a few things like chocolate, coconut, canned milk and other baking aisle staples.  Now I have a stocked baking pantry like I have never owned! Hoo-ray!

With a glance from across the room at the bulging pantry, I can confirm that I have everything to whip together something resembling the legendary coconut chocolate treats.

To make these yummies you will have to weigh your options and decide which matters more, tasty goodness or the moral high-ground.

Obviously tasty goodness won here. Using things like dried sweetened coconut, white chocolate and corn syrup(!) I think I have created a concoction worth trading morals for.  At the very least, you can set them aside for just one moment while you sigh in contentment after biting into chocolate covered chewy coconut candies.

Mounds of Joy

• 2c bittersweet or semi-sweet chocolate chips
• 2c whole toasted almonds
• 2c packed coconut
• 3/4c white chocolate chips
• 2T corn syrup*
• gloves (or be prepared to get sticky)

Pulse coconut in a food processor.

Melt the corn syrup and white chocolate chips together in the microwave. Do this slowly, using half power and stirring often. Pour melted mix into the food processor and pulse together until you get a thick chewy coconut paste (not a smooth paste!).  This mixture should pack together when pressed into a small ball.

Glove up. Line a small baking sheet with waxed paper.

Using your hands, shape coconut into two-bite miniature bars or portion with a one-ounce scoop. Place onto waxed paper. Settle at least one almond into the top of every mound and eat any leftover almonds. Chill mounds for 10 minutes or until firm.

Melt chocolate in small bowl. I personally use a double boiler because I have a bowl preference, but feel free to use the microwave. To finish, dip coconut mounds into the chocolate to cover the almond.

Lick fingers. I do not know how long these little guys keep because we finished them the next day. I can, however, tell you that they go great with coffee.

* Corn Syrup. Substitute, omit, I don’t care. It so happens that TDH purchased a bottle of corn syrup for a recipe and he wanted it for milk shakes (although, I have yet to see him make one. Hmmmm).  It is a handy liquid sweetener that I chose for binding purposes. Substitute agave, un-sweetened coconut, and carob chips if you wish but then I say, “Why bother?”