A less sweet, perfectly balanced take on the almond joy candy bar. Using unsweetened, flaked coconut chips, we are controlling the sweetness and improving the texture (does anyone really even like shredded coconut?). Dipped in dark chocolate, sprinkled with almonds, it is wise to keep a stash of these in the freezer at all times.
INGREDIENTS
FOR FILLING
3 cups (390 gr) Powdered Sugar
1/2 tsp Salt
1/8 tsp Almond Extract
1 tsp Vanilla Extract
1 can (14 oz or 396 gr) Sweetened Condensed Milk
5 cups (8 oz or 230 gr) Unsweetened, Flaked Coconut Chips
FOR DIPPING
1 lb (16 oz) best quality Dark Chocolate, roughly chopped
*Feves, callets or discs are best for this. You can also use baking bars, like Trader Joe’s Pound Plus.
Do NOT use chocolate chips or candy melts – they have stabilizers in them to avoid proper smooth melting and tempering.
3 TBS Sliced Almonds, for garnish
COCONUT FILLING INSTRUCTIONS
Makes approximately 24 bars
1. Line 1 – 8″x8″ baking pan with parchment or wax paper.
2. Combine all filling ingredients until well mixed.
3. Press the filling firmly into the pan, really compacting. Be sure to press down any rogue pieces of coconut.
4. Wrap the pan with plastic wrap and freeze for 4 hours.
5. Remove the filling from the pan and, using a sharp knife dipped in boiling water and wiped dry, cut the bars in a 8 x 3 grid, making narrow bars.
6. Place on a cookie sheet, wrap in plastic wrap and freeze overnight.
7. When the bars for frozen completely firm, temper your chocolate (instructions below) and prepare a cookie sheet with parchment paper.
8. Using a fork, submerge a bar into the chocolate, pick up the fork, tap on the side of the bowl until the excess chocolate has fallen back into the bowl and slide bar onto the parchment paper. Garnish with almond slices, if you like. Repeat with all of the bars and let set at room temperature until the chocolate is set.
STORAGE: store airtight at room temperature for up to a week, in the fridge for a month or in the freezer for three months.
TEMPER CHOCOLATE
DO NOT BE AFRAID OF A CANDY THERMOMETER or tempering chocolate! It really is no big deal as long as you follow the numbers. It happens quicker than it sounds, so be sure to read through before diving in, and do not step away during the process. Below is how I temper over a double boiler (anyone else not own a microwave like me?). A digital thermometer is great here, but a standard candy thermometer is just fine.
Tempered chocolate dries quickly and becomes shiny and crisp. If your chocolates have become dull or streaky with white lines, you have not achieved temper properly. Allow the chocolate to cool and start from the beginning.
This recipe is written for dark chocolate – milk and white chocolate temperatures are as follows but the same method applies…
MILK/WHITE CHOCOLATE
Melt to 105 degrees
Cool to 82 degrees
Reheat to 86 degrees
DARK CHOCOLATE
Melt to 115 degrees
Cool to 82 degrees
Reheat to 89 degrees
HOW TO TEMPER CHOCOLATE
1. Place two-thirds or about 10 ounces of the chopped chocolate in a glass or metal bowl, atop a heavy duty medium sized pot filled halfway with water to create a double boiler. Just the bottom of the bowl should sit slightly in the pot.
2. Over low heat, allow the water to come to a simmer, but never bubbling or touching the bottom of the bowl.
3. Once the chocolate starts to melt, stir, with a silicone spatula, occasionally and place the candy thermometer in the bowl, making sure it does not touch the glass or metal bowl – simply submerged in the chocolate.
4. Melt the chocolate until it reaches 115 degrees, never exceeding 120 degrees. Once it reaches temperature, remove the bowl from the heat, and place onto a dish towel.
5. Stir in half of the remaining chocolate and let sit for 30 seconds before stirring fully to incorporate.
6. Stir in the last of the chocolate and allow to sit for 30 seconds, then stir in fully. Allow the chocolate to cool to 82 degrees, stirring every 30 seconds.
7. Once the chocolate has cooled to no less than 82 degrees, place it back over the simmering water. Warm to 89 degrees, stirring constantly – this happens VERY quickly, so do not step away.
8. The chocolate should now be in temper. If the chocolate falls below or above 88 to 91 degrees at any point while in use, you will need to warm it back up for a 5-10 seconds over the double boiler, stirring constantly, until you have reached temper/89 degrees again.
