Coconut-Mocha Drops

These coconut mocha drops are the candy version of espresso bite, an entire batch of 48 little coconut candies, no oven required. The mocha note comes from instant coffee dissolved into warm butter and milk, which then gets stiffened into a fudge-like base with powdered sugar and folded with toasted coconut for that crackle-crunch contrast.

The microwave does most of the work. A minute and a half melts the butter and warms the milk just enough to dissolve the instant coffee crystals into a smooth coffee cream. Stir in the powdered sugar gradually so it incorporates without cocoa-style clumping, then fold in the toasted coconut last.

Toasting the coconut beforehand is a step you don’t want to skip. Untoasted coconut is fine but flat. Five minutes in a dry skillet over medium heat, stirring constantly, brings out caramelized notes that pair brilliantly with the coffee. Drop by scant teaspoons onto waxed paper, walk away for 15 minutes, and you have homemade candy ready to plate.

Kitchen Tips

• Toast coconut on the stove rather than in the oven for better control, it scorches in seconds.
• Stir the powdered sugar in gradually to avoid lumps, a sieve helps if your sugar is old.
• Use a small cookie scoop for uniform drops that look professional on a candy tray.
• Store in an airtight container at room temperature, they keep about a week.

Variations

• Add 2 tablespoons of cocoa powder for a true mocha-chocolate hybrid.
• Stir in ¼ cup chopped toasted almonds or pecans for crunch.
• Drizzle cooled drops with melted dark chocolate for an extra-fancy finish.