Alternate title: Dipping Things in Chocolate is Hard.I recently learned that the reason a lot of people don’t like coconut (according to two people I know who don’t like coconut) is the texture. I don’t really get it. Do these people just not like sweetened shredded coconut? What about desiccated? What about fresh? Or big dry flakes? I feel like there are way too many coconut types and applications to just give it a blanket dislike. I’m the kind of person who loves coconut, both in flavor and texture. I truly think it makes everything better. I was the kid who wished for Almond Joys at Halloween, who requested chocolate cake with coconut pecan frosting for every birthday, and who poked a hole in the bottom of every chocolate in the box, until I found the coconut one. I’m that person.
These little treats taste a lot like an Almond Joy—gooey sticky sweet coconut filling, crunchy almonds, and a chocolate shell. But then there’s the added salty, buttery crunch of the Ritz cracker, just for fun. I was originally planning on making little shortbread egg-shaped cookies, then doing the topping and the chocolate coating, but got lazy. Hence the Ritz. I’m pretty ok with it though, these fun treats are tasty and come together in a snap, and I actually really like the flavor of the Ritz here. The hardest part is the chocolate. Why is it so hard to get a nice, even, smooth shell? In my mind, these were the perfect little mounds, with perfectly smooth chocolate. What are your chocolate-dipping secrets? Tips? Tricks?
Oh well, I suppose I’ll never be a professional chocolate dipper. Sigh.
I’m calling these Coconut Mounds, because that’s what they are and I couldn’t think of a more appropriate name, but it’s kind of silly, because as we all know, Almond Joys have nuts, and Mounds don’t. But these do. It’s a confusing world we live in.
Crispy Cracker Coconut Mounds
Makes approx 15.
Note: I also made a batch using almond-based non-dairy cream cheese, which were excellent, but did need a bit of flour to thicken up the mixture enough to scoop.
Note: I also made a batch using almond-based non-dairy cream cheese, which were excellent, but did need a bit of flour to thicken up the mixture enough to scoop.
4 oz cream cheese (half a brick) 1 cup confectioners / powdered sugar 1 teaspoon vanilla extract 1 cup sweetened shredded coconut 1/2 cup chopped almonds (I use roasted salted) Ritz-type crackers 3/4 cup semisweet chocolate chips + a tiny bit of coconut oil | Mix together cream cheese and powdered sugar (with stand or hand mixer) until combined and creamy. Add vanilla, and mix. Stir in coconut and nuts. If mixture seems super soft and too loose, you can either add a tad of flour and stir to combine, or pop in the freezer or fridge for a few minutes. Scoop mixture onto Ritz crackers (I used a 1.5 tablespoon scoop, not filled all the way) in mounds Melt chocolate in microwave, with just a bit (1.5 teaspoon -ish) of coconut oil, just to thin it Dip mounds in chocolate, being careful to not dislodge mound from cracker Chill to harden chocolate, can be stored in fridge |
