COCONUT MACAROONS

INGREDIENTS

2/3 cup all-purpose flour

5 1/2 cups flaked coconut

1/4 teaspoon salt

1 (14 ounce) can sweetened condensed milk

2 teaspoons vanilla extract

DIRECTIONS

Preheat oven to 350 degrees F (175 degrees C).

Line cookie sheets with parchment paper or aluminum foil.

In a large bowl, stir together the flour, coconut and salt. Stir in the sweetened condensed milk and vanilla using your hands until well blended. Use an ice cream scoop to drop dough onto the prepared cookie sheets.

Cookies should be about golf ball size.
Bake for 12 to 15 minutes in the preheated oven, until coconut is toasted.

RASPBERRY & COCONUT TRIFLE CAKE

 INGREDIENTS AND DIRECTIONS

For the cake

200g butter, softened, plus extra for greasing

50g unsweetened desiccated coconut, soaked in water for 1 hr then squeezed dry

200g golden caster sugar

200g self-raising flour

1 tsp baking powder

4 eggs

1 tbsp milk

2 tbsp from a 200 ml/7 fl oz pack coconut cream (keep the rest for the filling)

For the layers and topping

1 tbsp cornflour

4 tbsp icing sugar

600ml good-quality ready-made custard from the chiller

4 tbsp Malibu (or you could use white rum)zest and juice

1 lime

300g pack frozen raspberries, defrosted, or use fresh370g jar

raspberries jam142ml pot double
creamfresh coconut, shredded, for decoration (optional)

DIRECTIONS

Beat all the cake ingredients together until smooth, pour into the tin, then smooth the top. Bake for 40-45 mins until golden and risen. Cool completely on a rack; once cold, put into the fridge.

Meanwhile, prepare the custard – whisk the cornflour and 1 tbsp icing sugar into the remaining coconut cream until smooth. Bring the custard to the boil, then whisk in the coconut mix. Keep whisking until it’s boiling and fairly thick. Tip into a bowl, cover with cling film straight away, then cool.

Mix the Malibu, lime zest and juice and 2 tbsp icing sugar. Trim off the top of the cake if it’s domed, then cut into three horizontally using a bread knife or serrated knife.

Line the cleaned cake tin with plenty of cling film (a little oil helps it to stick), then put a circle of cake back in the bottom. Sprinkle with some of the Malibu mix. Crush 100g of the raspberries and mix well into the jam, then fold in 100g whole raspberries. Spoon onto the sponge in the tin but don’t go right to the edges.

Top with the second piece of cake, sprinkle with more of the Malibu mix, then spoon the custard over and spread it out. Top with the final layer of cake, sprinkle with remaining Malibu, then chill for at least 4 hrs, covered with cling film, to let the layers firm up and the flavours mingle.

Once set, remove the cake from the tin, then slide it onto a serving plate. Softly whip the cream with the final 1 tbsp icing sugar, then spread over top of the cake. Scatter with the remaining whole raspberries and decorate with fresh shredded coconut, if you like.

MANGO , LIME & COCONUT SUNDAES

INGREDIENTS

3 ripe mangoes, peeled cored and sliced

juice and zest 

2 cups plus 6 slices

500ml tub dairy-free ice milk ice cream

a few mint leaf

DIRECTIONS

Put half the mango slices in a bowl with half the lime juice and half the zest , cover and chill until serving.

Put the rest of the mango in the freezer for 3-4 hrs or until frozen solid.

Put the frozen mango in a blender with the rest of the lime juice and zest (saving a few pinches for decoration), blend until smooth, then tip into a container and leave in the freezer until needed.

Just before serving, put the chilled mango pieces in the bottom of 6 sundae glasses and take the coconut ice cream and frozen mango sorbet out of the freezer to defrost just enough to scoop.

Divide the mango sorbet and the coconut ice cream between the glasses, and decorate with mint leaves, lime slices and any remaining lime zest. Serve immediately.

COCONUT MACAROON FUDGE BROWNIE

INGREDIENTS

4 ounces chopped unsweetened chocolate
(the better the chocolate, the better the brownie)

3/4 cup unsalted butter

2 cups sugar

2 1/2 teaspoons  vanilla 

3 lightly beaten eggs

1 cup flour

1 1/2 teaspoons salt

Optional: 1 tablespoon instant espresso powder

THE COCONUT MACAROON:

1 can sweetened condensed milk (14 oz.)

1 teaspoon vanilla extract

1/4 teaspoon almond extract

7 cups  Flake coconut (or shredded)- equal to 1 1/2 of the 4 oz. bags

DIRECTIONS

Preheat oven to 350° and grease a 9 x 13″ foil-lined pan.

Make the COCONUT MACAROON GOO:  In a large bowl, stir the sweetened condensed milk with the vanilla and almond extracts. 

Stir in the coconut, then set aside.

In a large microwave-safe bowl, melt chocolate & butter in microwave for 2:15 minutes and stir.

Stir in sugar, then vanilla, then eggs, then salt, then espresso powder (optional) & flour.

Pour into prepared pan and then spoon blobs of coconut macaroon goo overtop the surface of the brownie. 

Bake for 28 – 30 minutes (until center is just set).Cool & cut into squares.

Indulge.

BANANA COCONUT-LIME CREAM PIE

INGREDIENTS

COCONUT-LIME CRUST

1 cup sweetened, shredded coconut (Angel Flake, ideally)

2 tablespoons butter, melted

FILLING:

2 1/2 cups half-and-half cream (or light cream, or milk)

1/2 cup sweetened, shredded coconut

3/4 cup sugar

1/4 cornstarch

4 egg yolks

1 tablespoon butter

1 1/2 teaspoons vanilla

2 – 3 bananas, sliced into 1/2-inch thick coins

WHIPPED CREAM TOPPING:

3/4 cup heavy whipping cream

1 tablespoon confectioners’ sugar

3 tablespoons shredded coconut, toasted

DIRECTIONS

CRUST:  Preheat oven to 375°.  In a medium bowl, melt butter and mix with coconut.  Press into a 9″ pie plate and bake for 8 – 12 minutes, until golden (see photo).

 Remove from oven and allow to cool.

CREAM FILLING:  In a medium bowl, combine cream and coconut.  

Microwave for 1 minute (to bring to room temperature); allow to rest while you prepare for step 3.

 Strain out coconut with a fine-meshed sieve.

 Make sure you still have 2 1/2 cups of cream, so add more if necessary.

In a medium saucepan, combine sugar and cornstarch.

 Gradually add cream, whisking to incorporate.

 Cook over medium-high heat, whisking almost constantly.

 Cook until thickened and bubbly, then reduce heat.

In a medium bowl, slightly beat egg yolks with a fork.

 Stir a spoonful of the hot cream filling into the yolks, then stir in another spoonful.  

Pour about half of the remaining hot cream into the yolks, stirring constantly.

 Pour all of the egg yolk mixture into the saucepan with the remaining cream filling, and bring to a gentle boil.

 Reduce heat and cook for 2 more minutes, whisking.

 Remove from heat.Stir in butter and vanilla into cream mixture.

Place sliced bananas over bottom of the coconut crust.

 Pour cream filling over top and refrigerate until set and cooled.

WHIPPED CREAM:  In a large bowl, beat heavy whipping cream with sugar until firm and spreadable.

 Spread evenly over cooled cream filling.

 Sprinkle toasted coconut over top… slice, and enjoy!