Whenever a holiday nears and Nate's school announces a party, I feel guilty if I don't participate in the festivities. As moms that have two or three kids write their names on the sign up sheet to bring in treats, my guilt doubles. Where do they find the time? Aren't they tired? I only have one kid and I'm tired with no time.
Here's a little treat that takes no more than a half hour to make from start to finish. There is no baking involved and the results will pleasantly surprise you and your guests!
Makes about a dozen.
What you'll need:
12 ounces of semi-sweet chocolate
14 ounces of sweetened coconut flakes
bag of small jellybeans
double boiler or heat safe glass bowl with small sauce pan
1 cup of water*
parchment paper or silicone baking mat, on a cookie sheet
a pair of latex gloves
Heat a double boiler or a heat safe glass bowl over a small sauce pan with a small amount of water in it until it boils. *The water should not touch the bottom of the glass bowl. Turn the heat down to a simmer and put the chocolate in the bowl. Stir constantly but gently with a spatula until completely melted.
Remove the melted chocolate from the heat and let it cool for a few minutes. Add half of the coconut flakes into the melted chocolate and stir until the flakes are covered. Add the remaining coconut and repeat, ensuring the coconut is completed covered in chocolate.
I found wearing latex gloves made this next part easier than not wearing gloves. Take a small handful of the coconut mixture, a little larger than golf ball sized, and loosely mold into a ball. The coconut should not be smoothed. Place onto parchment paper or silicone mat. Continue until you have a dozen or so. Then gently take your thumb and make an imprint into the middle of each ball, making a nest.
Once finished, place cookie sheet in the refrigerator for ten minutes to set the chocolate. Fill nests with jellybeans. That's it!
