1/5/12

coconut clusters

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Do you have a favorite homemade candy shop? I do. It's gross really how much money I dropped at the last visit. And the people that work there 'almost' know me by name. Sad. Let's blame it on winter and winter time makes people eat more carbs. Sounds right. Stage Stop Candy in Dennisport, MA makes the best peanut butter logs and coconut clusters--oh of course many other things, but those two are the main reasons I go there (and the occasional sea salted Tahitian vanilla caramel).
One of these days I will do a post on them with photos so you can see how 'old school' it is. All old antique glass counters filled with homemade truffles, hand dipped cranberries, potato chips, smores, oh the loveliness. Granted their candy is homemade and thus a bit more expensive, so I had to find a way to make my own coconut clusters at home. (still working on the peanut butter logs--figuring out how to get the right butterfinger-like texture inside).

AND congrats to the winners of the Sweets on a Stick Cookbook giveaway. Tree #8, Janet Rudolph #59 and Cake Duchess #66. Please email me your address so we can get these books out to you. CONGRATS!

Also, Jen of Duluth, GA (#62) you were the winner of the Nescafe Piccolo Giveaway. You still haven't contacted me and only have a few more days left before I choose another winner on Monday Jan 9, 2012. Please email me ASAP Jen!

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coconut clusters
print recipe

7 ounces of toasted coconut*
11.5 ounces of high quality milk chocolate (you could try dark chocolate)
A pinch or two of sea salt

Cook notes:
*Toast your coconut on a parchment lined baking sheet in a 250 degree oven for about 15-25 minutes. You will have to toss the coconut around on the baking sheet a couple times during cooking; this prevents uneven browning. You know the coconut is done when the coconut is a very light golden brown—this is when to take it out of the oven. The coconut gets dark fast! So watch it at the 15 minute mark.
I used mini cupcake pans to make even, round clusters. Use whatever mold you like, just make sure you use liners or non stick spray or even silicone molds since the chocolate might stick to the pan.
If it does stick all you need to do is put the pan in a larger pan of warm/hot water for a few seconds to a minute. This should loosen the bottom a bit and you will be able to lift them out. Do not let it sit in the water too long as they will melt. If you want to decorate tops of clusters with toasted coconut then save a little on the sides.

To make clusters, take cooled toasted coconut and mix with about 11.5 ounces of melted/tempered milk chocolate. Sprinkle a couple small pinches of sea salt. Mix well, then transfer to your molds. Push them down into molds to make even and get out the air. This would be the time to sprinkle the tops of the clusters with the saved toasted coconut, if desired. I did a few, not all. Let cool/harden at room temp then finish setting up in fridge.

Should make about 15 mini cupcake sized clusters. Stores for about a week in air-tight container.

37 comments:

  1. Isn't terrific how so few ingredients can yield something fantastic! Good one Dawn!

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  2. Oh dear, I might need a handful of these.

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  3. We do have a favorite candy shop but, although it has been around for a long time, it is not old school in that they don't make any of their own stuff. Still, candy is candy, and we are there a lot. I blame it on the kids... :)

    These look great!

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  4. this looks great!

    I make something for my husband that I call chocolate coconut snowballs.

    Cocoa powder, coconut flakes, melted coconut oil, lots of sugar. Stir. It hardens and I scoop it out with an ice cream scoop like balls. It's one of his faves!

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  5. These are the candies I always pick out first from a box of candies...this would make a good bark too!

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  6. You had me at coconut! <3

    Love the new header - great image!

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  7. oh, i can hardly wait to try this recipe! must put these items on my shopping list! thankfully, i'm going to the market today :)

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  8. Dawn, I'm coming to spend a weekend with you SOON and you can feed me as many treats as you want...I don't care, I'll exercise 10 times as hard for these. Oh how YUMMY!

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  9. Wow, I love how simple these are. And chocolate and coconut are amazing together. Fave!!!

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  10. We have a totally awesome, old-fashioned candy shop/ice cream parlor in town. Love it!

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  11. Heart be still I can't wait to make these this weekend. Chocolate and Coconut two of my fave's

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  12. I don't know how you do it! I come to your blog completely full...and some how, I'm hungry again. Coconut rocks

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  13. Hmmm maybe instead of me going to denniston I can somehow find a way to convince you to just make homemade versions of all their treats and post the recipes...

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  14. I wish I was you cause if I was you I would be plowing through a few of these right about now!

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  15. Oh. YUM. I made coconut shrimp soup tonight, but clearly I used the coconut for the entirely wrong thing! :)

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  16. These look pretty gosh darn tasty! Love the addition of salt...can't go wrong with the sweet/salty combo. Mmm...maybe a salted caramel twist? Happy New Year :)

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  17. OMG, those look awesome! I wanted to lick the screen. OK, since I'm apparently living vicariously through you on the candy front, your next stop has to be The Candy Co. in S. Yarmouth - next time you go by, please go in and have some Peneuche Fudge for me! They make THE best fudge, and I haven't been to The Cape in waaaaay too long. :(

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  18. Oh Yes Baby! Take it easy now...I was talking about the coconut clusters...YUM!

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  19. LOVE these! So easy too!

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  20. i should've mosied on down your way for these babies, they are amazing. i try and avoid candy shops these days... i'd have no control with these staring me in the face :)

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  21. oh man - such simple ingredients with such an awesome outcome!

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  22. You are so awful taunting all of us with your sweet treats!

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  23. Love it! I actually may make these today.

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  24. Good heavens, there are hardly any ingredients and they look fabulous! Think I'm using dark chocolate though.
    Haven't made candy in ages!

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  25. We are staying in Dennisport this summer and I will for sure be visiting the store! I remember it from our past vacations there. I also want your recommendations for any must-visit foodie stops!

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  26. Mmmm.these are my favorite candy. I made some a while ago. DELISH.

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  27. I am not a big fan of coconuts but the roasted ones seems inviting.. These clusters look delicious

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  28. Olala quelle merveille gourmande
    Je te souhaite un agréable WE

    Valérie.

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  29. I can remember buying these at a candy store as a child and they were always one of my favorites!

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  30. simplicity at its finest! chocolate and coconut does a daily battle for the top of my 'best combination ever' list. :)

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  31. How did you know I love coconuts so much! These are fantastic. I can't wait to make for just MOI:)Thank you again for the book!!

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  32. oh i WILL be making these-yum!

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  33. Love your blog and your recipes! Delicious!! I'll be baking this weekend!!

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  34. Chocolate and coconut are so good together!

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  35. I was so excited to find your recipe because I love these candies! They are the ones I pick out of the assorted boxes first. The only thing I did differently was to take the coconut after toasting and put it into the food processor. I processed it very quickly just to get smaller bits of the coconut.
    They turned out great and they are all gone!

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  36. What do you mean by high quality milk chocolate? What'd you use?

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    Replies
    1. high quality as in higher cocoa count, such as Vahlrona, Ghiradelli..

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