Coconut Chocolate Bars perfect for Valentine’s Day
Wondering what to do for your sweetie on Valentine’s Day? Honestly, I am running out of ideas. I have done the candy, flowers, surprise dinner out, fine wine and gushy cards. I am keeping it simple this year, offering these homemade decadent, delicious and sinfully rich coconut chocolate bars. It’s a little guilty pleasure, but it’s Valentine’s Day and your sweetie deserves them.
COCONUT CHOCOLATE BARS
lb. dark chocolate, broken into pieces lb. milk chocolate, broken into pieces
1 t. pure vanilla extract
2 c. crushed graham cracker crumbs
1½ c. whole shelled walnuts c. packed light brown sugar c. unsalted butter, melted
14 oz. package coconut
14 oz. can sweetened
condensed milk
Place chocolate in a heatproof bowl and set it over simmering water. Allow chocolate to melt. Stir in vanilla. Set aside.
Place the graham cracker crumbs, ½ cup of nuts and the brown sugar in a food processor and process until nuts are finely chopped. Add butter through feed tube and pulse several times to combine ingredients.
Press the mixture into a foil-lined 13-by-9-by-2inch pan, leaving an overhang, and bake for 10 minutes in a preheated 350degree oven.
Meanwhile combine the coconut and condensed milk in another bowl and spread it evenly over the graham cracker crust. Chop the remaining walnuts coarsely and spread over the coconut. Bake for 10 minutes.
Spread chocolate evenly over the top. Refrigerate for several hours.
Lift the foil out of the pan and peel away.
Cut into bars. Makes 36.