Chocolate Coconut Cream Cups

Discovering an unbeknownst bag of sugar coated high fructose corn syrup Peanut Butter Crunchy Bars in the backside passenger seat while trying to stow Aussie Licorice into same passenger seat pocket has me incredulous at my candy hoarding abilities. How did I forget that bag!? Sweet Tooth Insanity. And when Sweet Tooth Insanity nags at my being, but I'm (lamely) trying to be wholesome because a trip to the Yucatán Peninsula is very near in my future, candy cravings have to become really truly wholesome. 

Wholesome enough where I can eat a handful of wholesomeness after every meal, but Sweet Tooth Insanity is fulfilled. Utterly at peace. Goodbye licorice with the consistency of plastic. So long crispity bars of peanut butter artificial colors. You can meet me another time. I'm nourishing my body with coconut fats to make my hair luxurious, dark chocolate antioxidants to detox that bottle of wine I drank Friday night, pistachio fiber to counteract the extra cheesy pizza with sourdough crust planned for dinner tonight. 

Oh, these little cups of paradise are so very good. So right. So wrong. So in my tummy after every meal, maybe even breakfast. Just kidding?

Anyway - I know the most important part of this sugar buzzed post is concerning the Yucatán Peninsula. Margaritas. Medelo Negro. Sand. Sun. Sun. Sun. Did I say sun? Yes, sun. Minnesota is miserable this time of year. Miserably bleak. Miserably sunless. Miserably cold. Miserably miserable. How do the sun-deprived Alaskans trudge on day by sunless day? How do the Reykjavikians live life in a world of 1 hour daylight (not even sure if that's true)?! Vitamin D stores in the Northern Hemisphere everywhere are hopelessly depleted. How do we cope? Cups of coconut drenched in chocolate and a plane ticket to the ocean. Yes. 

Tell me… about your Sweet Tooth? And your Spring Holidays?

Printable Recipe Here

Chocolate Coconut Cream Cups
inspired by PaleoOMG

1 1/2 cups unsweetened coconut, shredded
1/2 cup coconut butter or cream
1/2 cup coconut oil
healthy pinch kosher salt
1 teaspoon vanilla extract
8 ounces 60% (or more) cacao bittersweet chocolate chips
1/3 cup pistachios, chopped

Line a mini-muffin tin with cupcake liners. Set aside.

Working in the bowl of a 11 cup (or larger) food processor dump shredded coconut, coconut butter, coconut oil, kosher salt, vanilla extract and whir for about 2 minutes - pulsing and scraping down sides as necessary to get a well-incorporated, thick consistency. Scoop a teaspoon at a time into cupcake liners. 

Melt chocolate over a double-boiler or at 50% power in the microwave for 3 minutes, stopping to stir every minute or so. Pour melted chocolate by the teaspoon over coconut cream. Sprinkle with chopped pistachios. Refrigerate for about 30 minutes until firm. Eat and then die of sheer bliss. Not really, but kinda. Store in the refridge, but serve at room temperature to make them a million times more dreamy.