Gifting Day 7: Easy Christmas Candy

No baking required for these little treasures! Consider using decorative mini cupcake wrappers, or using a specialty mold. Make a few extra for yourself ... after all, you'll need to make sure they taste okay before you distribute them ... 😊

The coconut candy will remind you of a certain popular candy bar with the word "joy" in the name. Consider gifting these with the verse: "He will be a joy and delight to you, and many will rejoice because of his birth ..." Luke 1:4 (NKJV).

10 oz. bag of semi-sweet chocolate
5 oz. milk chocolate
10-12 oz. bag of unsweetened shredded coconut
3/4 cup light corn syrup
Package of miniature muffin or bonbon cups
Small package of unsalted almonds (optional)

Pour the coconut out into a pie plate or 9 inch shallow baking dish. In a microwave safe bowl (I use a Pyrex glass measuring cup) heat the light corn syrup up until it is very hot, slightly steaming, but not yet at the boiling point (heat it in small intervals until you reach that point). Once it is hot enough, pour the syrup over the coconut and stir, just enough to evenly distribute it, then leave it to sit for an hour or until the coconut absorbs the syrup.

After it is absorbed, melt the chocolate in a double boiler, or a microwave safe bowl (heating it in 30 second intervals, and stirring after each interval). Once it is melted and smooth, spoon about a teaspoon into the paper cups. Wet the tips of your fingers (I used a small bowl of water so I could dip my fingers in it) and form the coconut into balls small enough to fit into the paper cup, then place on the chocolate. Then spoon over enough chocolate to coat the coconut. Place an almond on top.

For peanut butter cups just place some peanut butter into a pipping bag, spoon chocolate into the paper cup, pipe in the peanut butter, and spoon more chocolate over the top.

Once you have made as many as you would like, place them in the refrigerator until they are set.