Neapolitan Coconut Strips Recipes

NEAPOLITAN BARS

Steps:

• Line a greased 13-in. x 9-in. baking pan with waxed paper; grease the paper and set aside., In a large bowl, cream butter and sugar until light and fluffy. Beat in egg and vanilla. Combine the flour, baking powder and salt; gradually add to creamed mixture and mix well. , Divide dough in thirds. Tint one portion green and one portion red; leave the remaining portion white. Add chocolate chips to green portion, cherries to red portion and coconut and rum extract to white portion. Spread one portion into prepared pan. Bake at 350° for 7-9 minutes or until edges are golden brown., Immediately invert onto a wire rack and remove waxed paper. Place another wire rack on top and turn over. Cool completely. Repeat with remaining portions, preparing pan each time., Place pink layer on a large piece of plastic wrap, about 30 in. long. Spread with cherry preserves. Top with white layer and spread with apricot preserves. Top with green layer. Bring plastic over layers. Slide onto a baking sheet and set a cutting board on top to compress layers. Refrigerate overnight., With a sharp knife, trim 1/4 in. from each edge. Cut into bars. Store in an airtight container.

NEAPOLITAN COCONUT STRIPS

Steps:

• Line an 8-inch square cake pan with plastic wrap, leaving a 2-inch overhang on 2 sides. Combine white chocolate, condensed milk, butter, salt, and vanilla seeds in a medium saucepan over medium heat. Cook, stirring, until smooth. Remove from heat, and stir in both types of coconut.
• Divide mixture among 3 bowls. Stir milk chocolate into 1 batch and food coloring into another. Leave third plain.
• Spread milk-chocolate mixture into bottom of pan. Gently dollop plain mixture over top, covering as much surface as possible. Gently spread, then repeat with the remaining mixture. Refrigerate until firm, about 2 hours.
• Unmold coconut square using plastic overhang, and discard plastic. Trim about 1/4 inch each from 2 parallel sides. Cut crosswise into 1/4-inch-wide slices. Cut each slice into 1 1/2-inch-long strips. Cover, and refrigerate for up to 1 week.

COCONUT NEAPOLITAN COOKIES

Steps:

• Heat oven to 350ºF.
• Spread coconut onto rimmed baking sheet. Bake 5 min. or until dry but not browned, stirring occasionally; cool. Turn oven off.
• Combine flour and baking powder. Beat butter and sugar in large bowl with mixer until light and fluffy. Blend in egg and vanilla. Gradually add flour mixture, mixing well after each addition.
• Divide dough into thirds; place each in separate bowl. Add one of the following to dough in each bowl: dry drink mix, melted chocolate and coconut; mix well.
• Line 9x5-inch loaf pan with parchment, with ends of parchment extending over sides. Press red-colored dough onto bottom of prepared pan. Cover with layers of coconut-flavored dough, then chocolate dough, gently pressing layers together to seal. Refrigerate 4 hours or until firm.
• Heat oven to 350°F. Use parchment handles to remove dough from pan; remove and discard parchment. Cut dough into 3 lengthwise strips, then cut each strip crosswise into 1/4-inch-thick slices. Place, 1 inch apart, on parchment-covered baking sheets.
• Bake 9 to 11 min. or until edges of cookies are firm to the touch but not browned. Cool on pan 1 min. Remove to wire racks; cool completely.