Three of my favorite things, chocolate, coconut, and almonds make these little bundles of [Almond] Joy my new favorite go-to treats. They can be assembled in less than a half-hour with only a mixing spoon, a bowl, a microwave, a pan, a stove, a non-stick surface (ideally a silpat), and a fridge.
Toasting the coconut makes for a great crunch and adds a caramel-like flavor to them. The sweetness of the coconut is balanced by using semi sweet chocolate and the almond, like Lebowski's rug, really ties the whole thing together.
Coco Dumps (printable recipe)
- 2 cups of sweetened coconut
- 7 ounces of semi sweet chocolate chips
- 1 cup of whole roasted almonds
Place the coconut in a dry pan over medium heat and toast, turning frequently, until it browns lightly and a heavenly smell permeates your kitchen. While the coconut toasts, place the chocolate chips in a microwave-safe container and nuke for 1 minute. Stir the chocolate, microwave again for 20 seconds, and stir again. Continue in 20 second increments until the chocolate is uniformly melted.
Once the coconut is browned and the chocolate is melted, add both to a large bowl and stir well to combine. When they are mixed well, use two teaspoons to pull out your haystacks, shape into little spheres, and place in your non stick surface. If you don't have a silpat or parchment paper, lightly grease some aluminium foil.
Place an almond on the top of each haystack and place them all in the fridge to set up, about 15 minutes. Store in a airtight container in the fridge until they are eaten, about 2 days (but really though, up to two weeks). Makes about 20.