COCONUT FILLING FOR CHOCOLATES RECIPES

Steps:

• In a small bowl, mix flour and salt; cut in lard until crumbly. Gradually add ice water, tossing with a fork until dough holds together when pressed. Shape into a disk; wrap in plastic. Refrigerate 30 minutes or overnight., Preheat oven to 400°. On a lightly floured surface, roll dough to a 1/8-in.-thick circle; transfer to a 9-in. pie plate. Trim pastry to 1/2 in. beyond rim of plate; flute edge. Line unpricked pastry with a double thickness of foil. Fill with pie weights, dried beans or uncooked rice., Bake 11-13 minutes or until bottom is lightly browned. Remove foil and weights; bake 6-8 minutes longer or until light brown. Cool on a wire rack. Reduce oven setting to 350°., In a microwave, melt chocolates in a large bowl; stir until smooth. Cool slightly. Whisk in milk, egg yolks and vanilla; stir in pecans. Pour into crust. Bake 16-19 minutes or until set. Cool 1 hour on a wire rack., Meanwhile, in a small heavy saucepan, combine brown sugar, cream and butter. Bring to a boil over medium heat, stirring to dissolve sugar. Remove from heat., In a small bowl, whisk a small amount of hot mixture into egg yolks; return all to pan, whisking constantly. Cook 2-3 minutes or until mixture thickens and a thermometer reads 160°, stirring constantly. Remove from heat. Stir in coconut and vanilla; cool 10 minutes., Pour over filling; sprinkle with pecans. Refrigerate 4 hours or until cold.

Steps:

• Place 200g/7oz of the chocolate in a glass bowl. Melt in the microwave on the lowest setting until almost smooth. Quickly stir in the remaining chocolate. (This lowers the temperature quickly and ensures a smooth and glossy finish.)
• Pour the melted chocolate into the ice cube squares until roughly one-quarter full. Move the tray around until the sides of the cube moulds are coated in chocolate. Set aside in a cool place until completely set.
• Meanwhile, cover the remaining melted chocolate with cling film and set aside in a warm place. If it starts to set, place the chocolate bowl over a smaller bowl of boiling water and gently stir until smooth again.
• To make the coconut filling, place the desiccated coconut in a small bowl and stir in the condensed milk until it sticks together but isn’t sloppy. Roll into small bowls.
• Once the chocolate base has set hard, you can add a selection of fillings to the squares. Add a coconut ball, or a teaspoon of peanut butter, or sprinkle in a few nuts or fruits. (Do not overfill the squares as this can cause breakages when removing from the mould.)
• Pour in the remaining melted chocolate, until all the moulds are full and the fillings are covered. Leave to set hard in a cool place.
• Once set, carefully turn out the chocolates. If desired, dab a little melted chocolate on top of each chocolate and sprinkle on any remaining fillings.
• Serve on a platter or package up in a gift box or bag to give as a gift.