I read lots of food blogs, and often come up with recipe ideas from them. I usually make a recipe three or four times before I decide I have it tweaked to my satisfaction, and certainly before I decide it is delicious enough, and easy enough, for adding to my blog. In the last several months, I have started following a young couple with particular interest. They create some of the most interesting — and usually easy — recipes I have seen for awhile. Many of those I end up using essentially unchanged, because they work so well.
The web site is PinchOfYum. If you like to cook, you really should start following this couple. Today’s recipe comes from them, with only a few small changes. I have made this as appetizers for a couple of parties at our house recently, and it has been a huge hit. It will start being a standard we take to pot luck dinners in the future now too.
- 2½ cups flaked coconut
- ¼ cup coconut oil, melted
- ¼ cup honey
- ½ teaspoon vanilla
- a pinch of salt
- 4 ounces white or dark fountain chocolate for topping
- Pulse the coconut in a blender or food processor until they are small shreds. Set aside about ¼ cup of the mixture.
- Mix the coconut oil, honey, vanilla, and salt. Stir in the coconut from step one.
- Form the mixture into small balls by squeezing until a ball forms. There will be a little bit of excess oil – that’s okay.
- Once you have the balls formed, refrigerate for 1 hour or so until they are firm. Remove from refrigerator, and improve shape of each ball, as they are now firmer and more easily formed.
- Heat a nonstick skillet over medium heat. Add the coconut and stir constantly for a few minutes until the coconut is lightly browned.
- Melt the chocolate for a minute or so in the microwave. Stir it until it’s smooth. Dip each coconut ball in the chocolate and remove, letting excess chocolate drip off. Place on baking sheet and top with the toasted coconut from step five.
- Refrigerate to set the chocolate.