Double Coconut Fudge Brownies

For whatever reason, I struggle big time with finding a good brownie recipe. I’ve tried a bunch and liked a few, but I’ve yet to find one good enough to make my regular recipe that ends the search. They’re such a simple baked good in theory; there usually aren’t many ingredients involved, and the process is simple enough. Yet I can’t ever get the brownies I want.

When I encountered this recipe, I figured it looked easy enough, and I loved what I saw from the pictures with that lovely flaky top. Of course, you know I wasn’t hunting for a brownie recipe in the first place for the sake of making plain brownies; I wanted to make Double Coconut Fudge Brownies.

I got this decadent Smuckers Chocolate Coconut sauce for the last edition of Smart Cookie Shopping, and I fell in love with it at the first spoonful. I wanted to do something special with it, and ultra-fudgy brownies seemed like the perfect answer.

I weaved the fudge sauce right into the brownies to make them extra indulgent. The brownie recipe itself wound up being so incredibly fudgy, and it had my favorite flaky top, so I was happy. The prep method is a little wonky, but doable.

The crunchy toasted coconut on top is a great contrast of texture to the fluffiness of the whipped cream and the fudgy brownies. I love how toasting them brings out this strong, nutty flavor that helps complement the coconut flavor inside the brownies.

It really is double the coconut goodness.

This simple recipe tastes absolutely exceptional. You need a moment to savor it. Don’t try to scarf it down quick while you’re at your desk working, and don’t eat it in a situation where you might be asked to share. Find a second for yourself and enjoy every last bite.

A Few Tips Before You Get Cooking:

1. These take quite a while to bake, so be patient.
2. You’ve got to stir the coconut every few minutes while toasting it because it burns very easily.
3. The less stirring, the better. That’s what allows the flaky top layer to form.
4. For even more coconut flavor, you can add a bit of coconut extract to the whipped cream.
5. Make sure you cream is nice and cold before whipping.

Double Coconut Fudge Brownies

Ingredients:

For the brownies
Adapted from Alice Medrich’s Cocoa Brownies

• 10 tbsp. butter
• ¾ cup + 2 tbsp. unsweetened cocoa powder
• 1 1/2 cusp granulated sugar
• 2 tsp. vanilla extract
• 2 eggs
• 11.5-oz. jar Smuckers Simple Delight Chocolate Coconut topping
• ½ cup all-purpose flour
• ½ tsp. salt

For the Whipped Cream Coconut Topping
By The Smart Cookie Cook

• 1 cup shredded coconut
• 1/4 cup powdered sugar
• 1 ½ cups chilled heavy cream
• 1 tbsp. cornstarch
• 2 tsp. vanilla extract

 Directions:

1. Preheat oven to 325 degrees. Spray an 8×8 pan with nonstick spray and line with parchment paper so that it hangs over the edges a bit.
2. Add enough water to a medium saucepan so that it is 1-2 inches deep. Heat water until barely simmering. Combine butter, sugar, cocoa powder and the salt in a medium heat-safe bowl the fits into the saucepan so that it rests on top. Rest bowl over simmering water (if the bottom of the bowl touches the water, remove a little water).
3. Stir mixture occasionally until the butter has melted and mixture is warm. Remove the bowl from heat and set aside for 3 to 5 minutes until it is only warm, not hot.
4. Stir in vanilla with a wooden spoon. Add eggs, one at a time, stirring vigorously after each one.
5. When the batter is well-blended, add the chocolate-coconut sauce and flour and stir just until fully incorporated (The batter will be quite thick). Spread evenly in lined pan.
6. Bake for 45 minutes or until puffed and set. A toothpick inserted in the center should come out clean. Let cool for 10 minutes then use the overhanging parchment paper to lift the brownies out gently and place on a cooling rack to cool completely.
7. With the oven still at 325, lay coconut in an even layer on a baking sheet and bake for 6 minutes, stirring halfway, or until golden brown. Let cool.
8. In a large mixing bowl, beat together all remaining whipped cream ingredients until thick and fluffy. Spread on cool brownies and sprinkle with coconut. Enjoy or store in fridge in an a air-tight container.