Spiced Coconut Fudge

I adore coconut. I love chocolate. I am crazy about almonds. I am one of the few who relish over an Almond Joy candy bar. So, I figure, if I make coconut fudge with chocolate and almonds for dessert Saturday night, I’ll get to eat the pieces rejected by coconut dislikers! They don’t know what they are missing!

This is a three-part layered concoction. First you make the coconut fudge, then you toast the almonds and when the whole thing is ready to assemble, you melt the chocolate. Line a pan with parchment and stack the stuff. After it cools, cut the fudge into squares and serve. Watch out! It’s super sweet.

Spiced Coconut Fudge Recipe

Ingredients:

• 1 cup evaporated milk
• 2 cups unsweetened coconut
• 2 cups sugar
• 1/8 tsp. cloves
• 1/8 tsp. nutmeg
• 1/8 tsp. cinnamon
• 1 tsp. vanilla extract
• 3 Tbs. butter
• 1/2 bar semi-sweet chocolate
• 1 cup chopped almonds, toasted

Directions: Place evaporated milk, coconut, sugar, vanilla and spices in a sauce pan on low heat. Bring to a simmer and stir until most of the liquid has evaporated and the mixture is fairly thick. Stir in 2 Tbs. of butter and turn off the heat and let the mixture cool. Once it has cooled to room temperature, you want to give it a good mixing until it is thick and shiny looking.

Meanwhile toast the almonds in a shallow pan on medium heat. Keep them moving so they don’t burn and pour them out onto a plate once you are able to see that they are beginning to brown.

This recipe fits a small square pan 8 x 8 or so and you’ll need to line it with parchment paper. I lined my pans north – south, east – west and left some parchment sticking up so it will be easy to pull the fudge out to cut.

Melt the chocolate on medium heat in the microwave. Watch it carefully so it doesn’t begin to boil or burn. Once it is hot add the other Tbs. of butter and mix it into the chocolate.

Now you are ready to assemble. Pour the coconut fudge into the bottom of the pans and flatten with a spatula. Next drizzle or spread the chocolate over the fudge. Last, cover with toasted almonds. Use the spatula to flatten the top and press the almonds into the mix a little so they don’t fall off the top when the fudge is cut into squares.