Relationships with food are just like any other relationship.  Sometimes it's love at first sight and sometimes it takes a little while for infatuation to set in.  

My relationship with coconut was the latter. 

At first, there was utter rejection.  He put up a tempting facade, sticking like fresh fallen snow to the outside of a marshmallow-coated cake.  I happily brought him up to my eager lips only to be instantly disappointed by the waxy, flavorless strands stuck in my teeth.  

For years, second chances were out of the question.  But I slowly got up the courage to give the humble coconut a second chance.  Samoa Caramel Popcorn was my rebound, and though I had to force myself to swallow several lose strands of coconut, I was falling in love with the fresh, tropical flavor that comes from quality coconut. 

Fast forward many dates later with my newfound love and I have learned to love this edible confetti.  

Mind you, it has to be very toasty to remove that waxy texture, and I still have not been able to tolerate a slice of coconut cake, but we are making progress.

If you are not utterly smitten with coconut already, I would like to offer this drink as proof that anyone and everyone can fall in love with coconut.  

I really do not know what to say.  It's just…SO GOOD...

Well, if I must be more descriptive, I would say that this tastes like the drink you would get if you put paradise in your blender with a cup full of ecstasy and blended them together.  

Oh, you think I am being dramatic?  Just toast yourself some coconut and then tell me this isn't the best thing you have ever stuck a straw into. 

The malt itself is a combination of coconut cream, whole milk, french vanilla ice cream, malt powder, and a whole lot of toasted coconut.  It really can’t help but be good. 

When I was little my father used to take me on dates for caramel nut sundaes. My favorite part of those sundaes was scraping the caramel down into the ice cream.  It would be slightly hardened because of the cold ice cream, making it thick and chewy.  The fudge sauce in this malt acts exactly like the caramel sauce in all those caramel nut sundaes.  As you drink the malt, you slowly scrape the fudge down into the glass, getting rich, decadent pockets of chocolate.

I think I would like to start drizzling the inside of every glass with fudge sauce from now on.

It’s been a long week, give yourself a treat, and put your feet up for a while.  Oh, and if you cannot find someone to share this with you, just dive right into seconds.  It is Friday, after all.

Sincerely, 

Pedantic Foodie

Toasted Coconut Fudge Malt 

serves 2 

for the fudge sauce 

• 1 cup semisweet chocolate 
• 6 tablespoons heavy whipping cream 

In a small bowl, combine chocolate and heavy cream.  Microwave at 30 second increments, stirring after each, until melted.  Place in a squeeze bottle and set in a bowl of warm water until ready to use. 

for the whipped cream 

• 1/2 cup heavy whipping cream 
• 1/4 cup confectioner’s sugar

Use a hand mixer to beat heavy cream until soft peaks form.  Fold in confectioner’s sugar.  Reserve for later use. 

for the malt 

• 1/2 cup + 2 tablespoons shredded, sweetened coconut
• 1/3 cup malt powder
• 2 cups french vanilla ice cream 
• 1/2 cup coconut cream* 
• 1/2 cup milk 

Place coconut in a small frying pan and set over medium heat.  Cook for 3-5 minutes, stirring often, until the coconut is deep golden and evenly toasted.

Combine malt powder, ice cream, coconut cream, milk, and 1/2 cup toasted coconut in the pitcher of your blender.  Blend on high speed until smooth.  

Use the prepared squeeze bottle to drizzle the sides and bottoms of two tall glasses with fudge sauce.  Fill each glass with the coconut malt and top with whipped cream and remaining coconut.  Serve immediately.  Enjoy!  

*Coconut cream is a very thick, creamy coconut milk.  If you cannot find it at your local grocery store, you could substitute unsweetened coconut milk, it just won't be quite as thick.