Chocolate Coconut Layers

Before I started writing for a newspaper full-time, I worked in retail for close to 10 years. I started in high school and it unfortunately carried over until after college because my industry is hard to break into.

I worked at a bookstore which unfortunately closed. But in its closing, I managed to gain some books. [And by some, I mean 10 boxes...] But I grabbed several great cookbooks, including a dessert one. [Except it uses the metric system for part of it and it is annoying.] When I used it for the first time, I chose to make something with coconut which I love! And it has chocolate. Pretty much a given for me. So, without further ado. Yay coconut and chocolate!

 

Chocolate Coconut Layers

Ingredients:

8 ounces chocolate graham crackers

6 tablespoons unsalted butter, plus extra for greasing  [use extra to melt because I definitely needed more]

7 fluid ounces canned evaporated milk

1 egg, beaten

1 teaspoon vanilla extract

2 tablespoons superfine sugar

1/3 cup self-rising flour

1 1/3 cups dry, unsweetened coconut

1 3/4 ounces semi-sweet chocolate [optional and I didn't use it]

 

Instructions:

Preheat oven to 375 degrees F.

 

Crush the graham crackers in a plastic bag with a rolling pin or process them in a food processor. Melt the butter in a pan and stir in the crushed crackers thoroughly. Remove from the heat and press the mixture into the bottom of a shallow eight inch square cake pan lined with parchment paper. [The parchment paper prevents a huge mess.]

 

In a separate bowl, beat together the evaporated milk, egg, vanilla, and sugar until smooth. Stir in the flour and coconut. Pour over the cracker layer and use a spatula to smooth the top.

 

Bake in the oven for 30 minutes or until the coconut topping has become firm and just golden. Remove from the oven and let cool in the cake pan for about five minutes, then cut into squares. Let cool completely in the pan.

 

Carefully remove the squares from the pan and place them on a cutting board. Melt the semi-sweet chocolate [if you're using it] and drizzle it over the squares to decorate them. Let the chocolate set before serving.

 

 

 



I have only made these the one time. Not for any one reason, but there are definitely things I would do differently for one. I would use more melted butter because for the amount of graham crackers I had, it wasn't enough. Also, when using the coconut, make sure yours isn't solidified into a ball like mine was because my mother vacuum-sealed it... I got coconut everywhere and the oil was on my hands for about a day.