Kristin's Kitchen Monday, 17 November 2008
Like a good ol’ Almond Joy candy bar?
Imagine its chocolate casing and gooey, crunchy, nutty center. Now, where does that nutty taste come from? Well, from the almonds of course...and the coconut, right?
Wrong. The name is misleading, considering coconut is actually the largest seed known to man.
There is no way to really describe the taste of coconut, though. It is a unique flavor experience all its own.
As I have tried the meat of a coconut cut fresh right from the tree while visiting the Caribbean island of St. Lucia, I can say the taste definitely resembles a nut.
It is crunchy, somewhat grainy and lacks the sweet flavor it obtains once it’s put in that familiar blue and white package on the grocery store shelf.
So, maybe this is why explorers thought to call it a “nut?” Before it became the sweet confection it is today used for macaroons and candied desserts, it tasted more like a nut.
According to About.com, “Coconut” actually comes from the Spanish and Portuguese word “coco,” meaning monkey face. In the 1500's, Spanish and Portuguese explorers discovered the large seed, and thought the three indented markings on the end of it resembled a monkey’s face.
About.com says though the coconut originated in Malaysia, Polynesia and southern Asia, it can now be found in the Pacific Islands, South America, India, Hawaii and, hitting a little closer to home, Florida. The light, durable husk of the seed allowed it to float via ocean to other areas to reproduce.
Interestingly, the Web site also says coconut trees average around 60 coconuts, but some can produce three times that amount. The trees flower up to 13 times in one year.
So, though the seeds take about a year to mature, the trees produce a continuous harvest all year long, unlike other fruit trees that have a set season.
You might want to try this nice spin on the traditional candy bar. Its taste comes very close, but it boasts a moist layer of chocolate cake instead of the chocolate coating.
I found this recipe on the back of a cardboard insert attached to one of those Baker’s Secret pans. Just a hint: check the back of it before you throw it out because it often has an easy baking recipe. Even if you don’t use it right away, it will certainly be helpful for a day when you’re craving something a bit more sugary.
I began to make it often because my dad actually enjoyed it- a rare occurrence for him when it comes to sweets because he hates rich chocolate.
If you’re a coconut fan, I recommend this.
Almond Joy Cake
One (18.5 ounce) package Devil’s Food cake mix
One (12 ounce) can evaporated milk
2 ½ cups white sugar
25 large marshmallows
14 ounces flaked coconut
One-half cup butter
2 cups semisweet chocolate chips
3 ounces toasted almonds
Directions
1. Mix cake mix and bake as directed for one 9x13 inch pan. Let it cool completely.
2. In a saucepan, combine one-half can milk and 1 ½ cups sugar. Bring the mixture to a rapid boil; quickly remove from heat, and add marshmallows. Stir until melted. Stir in the coconut. Pour the mixture over the cake.
3. In a saucepan, combine the remaining sugar and the remaining milk. Bring the mixture to a boil. Remove it from the heat, and add butter and chocolate chips. Stir it until melted. Mix in almonds. Pour the mixture over top of the coconut-topped cake.
4. Chill for at least two hours before serving. The cake actually tastes best if baked the day before.
Next time you buy an Almond Joy candy bar, think about what the coconut inside once was and how it tastes after processing. Try the meat straight from the tree and compare. Heck, you can even find coconuts at local grocery stores these days.
Still, many would probably admit the taste of natural coconut meat does not compare to what we grew up with in our holiday desserts. Sugar makes just about anything taste better.
Who would have thought a seed could be so sweet?
Source: theapp.appstate.edu
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