Thursday, April 8, 2010

Homemade Mounds



I wasn't allowed to eat candy growing up. I mean, there were the occasional indulgences on Easter and Halloween, but even then they were carefully rationed - or so my mom thought... I had quite the sweet tooth, and found ways to sneak treats as often as possible. I always discovered the hiding places of the Easter baskets and Halloween bags, helping myself to just enough that I knew wouldn't be missed. And then there was the bookstore.

The school that I grew up attending had (has) a university attached to it, and that university had a bookstore. A small place, carrying the essentials; toothbrushes, greeting cards, tees & hats with the school's logo, and candy. Tons of candy. Oodles of candy. My favorites were Laffy Taffy, Lemonheads and some other sour, chewy thing whose name escapes me. I liked the sour chewy things best of all. Though the university bookstore has since been overhauled and no longer carries such junk food - now it is all organic, corn syrup free, etc... back then they had it all, and I ate it all. I babysat a lot, so I had my own income, and I lived on school campus because my mom taught there. Every day, I would ride my bike home, speed to the bookstore before it closed for the day, stock up on candy and ride home. When we moved out of the place on campus, my mom found a candy wrapper graveyard behind the sofa. Oops.

Mounds weren't one of the things that I bought at the bookstore - remember, it was the sour, chewy things that were my candy of choice - but my mom enjoyed the occasional Mounds, especially when we went to the movie theatre. It was the legitimatly consumed candy of my childhood. As soon as I saw a recipe for homemade Mounds, I knew I had to make them. I'm sure it has been at least a decade since I ate a real Mounds, but I'm positive that these are considerably better than the real thing.

They have a soft and slightly gooey coconut center enrobed in a delicate layer of dark chocolate. Thankfully, this recipe doesn't make very many. Feel free to double or triple it it. I got 8 candies, each a little more than an inch in diameter.

I would recommend using a silicone candy mold for these. I didn't, and they look a little sloppy. The chocolate layer would be much more even with a mold. I don't have one - yet - and I couldn't wait to acquire one before making this recipe.


Mounds
adapted from Elana's Pantry

3/4 cup shredded unsweetened coconut
1/4 cup coconut oil
2 tablespoons agave
3 1/2 ounces bittersweet chocolate, melted

Combine coconut, coconut oil and agave in small bowl. Form into desired shapes, lay shapes on parchment-lined baking sheet, and place in freezer for about 10 minutes to harden. Drop coconut shapes one at a time in bowl of melted chocolate, coating thoroughly. Remove with fork, and lay back on parchment for chocolate to set. You could temper the chocolate if you desire, but honestly, these won't last long enough for the chocolate to bloom. If using a mold, paint the inside of each well with a thin layer of chocolate, place in freezer to harden, press coconut mixture into chocolate-lined mold, paint top of coconut with chocolate, put back in freezer. Remove from freezer, pop candies out of molds and enjoy!

7 comments:

  1. this looks too easy to sound so good. Have to try these. These were one of my favorites as a kid - along with Twinkies and cantalope.

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  2. Oh you're killing me. I love Mounds.

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  3. I think these look and sound fantastic! I like the imperfect shape - no need for a mold, in my mind.

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  4. I'm in trouble now. I love mounds or almond joys, but haven't had them in years since we went vegan. Now, with this recipe in hand, I can have them once again. I'm sure this is healthier than the version sold in stores...but will need to be eaten in limited quantities. That's the part that might get me into trouble...

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  5. I saw your title and I thought "mounds of what?" So I had to click through only to find a dessert that REALLY takes me back to my childhood. What was that commercial, "some times you feel like a nut, some times you don't..." Great recipe, and thanks for the nostalgia!

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  6. Very Cool. I enjoy mounds and almond joy...that coconut and chocolate combination is mighty tasty!

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  7. Mounds are Mark's favorite candy bars! I better bookmark this...but can't make it until someone gifts me a candy mold as I am not buying anything new for myself this year...I will put it on the Christmas list! They look very pretty.

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