Caramel Coconut Cream Cups

These chewy coconut cookie cups filled with rich chocolate and fluffy cream cheese are topped off with soft caramel, chocolate and toasted coconut.  More than delicious, these are truly a unique dessert that will have all your friends and family wondering how in the world you made them!

INGREDIENTS:

• 2 c.  yellow cake mix (any variety)
• 2 c. crushed coconut cookies (I use WalMart brand)
• 2 eggs
• 1/2 c. vegetable oil
• 1 c. shredded coconut
• 1/4 c. whipping cream
• 1/2 c. semi-sweet chocolate chips
• 16 Kraft Caramels (unwrapped)
• 7 oz. sweetened condensed milk
• 1/4 c. margarine
• 6 oz. Philadelphia cream cheese (softened)
• 1/2 c. sugar
• 4 oz. Cool Whip (refrigerator temperature)
• 12 oz. Wilton Dark Candy Cocoa Melts

DIRECTIONS:

• Preheat oven to 350 degrees
• In a mixing bowl combine cake mix, crushed coconut cookies, eggs and oil.  Blend well.
• Scoop batter evenly into 12 un-greased muffin tins, pressing it down with spoon.  Bake at 350 degrees for 15 minutes.
• Spread coconut over a small cookie sheet and toast at the same time your cups are baking for 10 to 15 minutes (check often to prevent burning!)
• While cookie cups bake, make your fillings:

1.  Chocolate ganache:  Place whipping cream in a small saucepan and heat it over the stove until it just starts to bubble at edges (20-30 seconds).  Turn off heat, add chocolate chips, over and allow to sit on warm burner for 5 minutes.  After 5 minutes, stir until smooth.
2. Caramel Sauce:  Place caramels, condensed milk and margarine in a saucepan and heat until caramels are fully melted and mixture is smooth (about 5 minutes)  stir constantly.
3. Cream filling:  Combine cream cheese with sugar  until smooth.  Fold in Cool Whip.

• Remove coconut from oven when it is a toasty brown.  Place in bowl to cool.
• Remove cookie cups from oven.  They look like muffins at this point–using a tart shaper or the end of a wooden spoon, press the middles of the muffin in to form a cup shape. (NOTE:  because ovens vary in temperature, your cups may need to bake longer.  When you press the middle in it should look a little oily from the coconut oil in the cookies- but it should hold its shape–  if it’s doughy and wont stay pressed down, place it back in the oven for a few minutes.)
• Tip the muffin pan over a clean counter to release the cups and carefully turn them all upright to cool.
• Melt chocolate candy coating in microwave in 30 second increments, stirring between until smooth.
• Dip the top edge of each cup into the chocolate and then sprinkle with toasted coconut.
• Spoon chocolate ganache evenly into each cup.
• Place cream filling in a large ziplock.  Cut one corner and pipe the cream evenly into each cup.
• Spoon caramel sauce evenly over each cup.
• Drizzle any left-over candy coating over each cup and top with remaining coconut.
• Keep refrigerated until serving.

• Makes 12 cups.

My thoughts:  I “invented” this recipe for Kraft using Philadelphia Cream Cheese.  It has some of my favorite flavor combinations– coconut, chocolate and caramel– amazing!  It is also a great texture combination: chewy, creamy crunchy….yum.  This is a fairly time-consuming recipe.  If you love baking it is FUN FUN FUN!!!!  (I’m actually a little addicted to making these!)  I can’t give it an “easy recipe” tag though– its just too involved.  If you get a chance to try these let me know what you think!  Enjoy!!!! r-