Coconut Balls

Consider these a homemade upgrade to your favorite coconut-almond candy. Rather than a dense and dry coconut filling, this coconut dessert uses sweetened condensed milk and almond butter to make a sweet mixture that maintains its semi-wet consistency. Once all of the filling ingredients are combined, the mixture must be refrigerated for at least one hour so the condensed milk can hydrate and stick to the shredded sweetened coconut. This keeps the gooey filling together and prevents the candy from being too messy to enjoy. In addition to the nutty almond butter, sweet almond extract flavors the filling while slivered almonds add a crunchy texture to the coconut balls. We call for just the right amount of salt to balance all the sweetness, giving every bite that irresistible salty-sweet quality that keeps you reaching for another bite. Once the filling is rolled into balls and sets in the fridge, melt semisweet chocolate chips in the microwave. Coat each ball in the chocolate, garnish with a sprinkle of shredded coconut, and refrigerate for a few more minutes until the chocolate hardens. This encases the milky filling in a firm layer of chocolate, makng balls that break easily with a single bite and explode with bright almond-coconut flavor and crunchy chewy texture.