How to Make Chocolate Covered Coconut Bars

Various candy colds

This recipe was created when I was a cook at a Sheraton. Another cook and I decided we wanted to try to make our own version of Mounds Bars. Neither one of us had ever made candy before, but knew how to get what we wanted.

Things You'll Need

• 1 cup water
• 1 cup sugar
• 2 cups coconut flakes
• 1 cup heavy cream
• 1 tbsp. butter
• 1 tbsp. sugar
• 12 oz. semisweet chocolate chips

Instructions

1. Make a simple syrup. Mix the sugar and water in a heavy-duty pan. Constantly stirring, bring to a boil. Boil the mixture for at least 10 minutes. You may see crystals starting to form on the sides of the pan.

2. Bring mixture down to a simmer. Simmer until mixture coats a spoon. Most of it will run off the spoon, but it will leave a medium-thick coating on the spoon.

3. Add the coconut. Stir constantly. Bring to a boil and boil for five minutes. Remove from heat, constantly stirring. Set aside.

4. While the coconut mixture is cooling and thickening, make the ganache. Bring the cream, butter and sugar to a boil over medium high heat. Add the chocolate, remove from heat and let stand for a few minutes.

5. Stir until all chocolate is melted and smooth.

6. Form the coconut mixture into the size candy you want. You can use a mold, or you can just dip the coconut into the chocolate.

7. If using a mold, drop enough ganache into the bottom of the mold to cover the bottom. This is going to be the top of the candy. Add the coconut mixture. You should shape it as close to the shape of the mold as possible. You will need to leave space between the coconut and the edges to add more chocolate.

8. Add more chocolate, covering the coconut. This step will form the sides and bottom of the candy.

9. Let candies harden at room temperature (this process goes faster, if you let them “set” in the refrigerator). Remove candies from mold.

Tips & Warnings

• Constantly stir sugar and water mixture, or else you will end up with burned simple syrup.