When I think of Easter I think of: birds, nests, rabbits, tulips, chocolate rabbits, jelly beans, baskets and I think of baking with coconut. I wanted to use the rest of my sweetened shredded coconut before it expired. I had a bag that had not expired but had been opened a while ago. I did not want to use that in my baking but I did use if for under my birds nests for a lovely display on a large rectangular tray. I just wish I took a picture of it!
This Easter however my back is injured so I could only work at counter level and I needed to rest/ take a break from standing. That is why this time baking took longer. I am quite appreciative of my husband for helping me with my baking projects. He helped get things out of the oven for me and things off of high shelves. He was great and was rewarded this time with some sweets.
It has been a while, since I work in a hospital, that I have had off a major holiday. I have not really seen my in laws for more than a couple of minutes in a really long time. I have to say the one benefit of injuring my back was being able to spend Easter with them. I felt like I had to make up for lost time and I never go to a person's house empty handed. I made two giant chocolate chip coconut cookies (froze one, brought one whole and I had left over dough that was divided into 12 cookies which I also froze as well) and I made these new Bird Nest cookies.
I modified a recipe that I found in "Great American Favorite Brand Name Cookbook" and the original recipe was "Bird's Nest cookies." But my back is hurting me still and I did not want to make small cookies and I did not have the requested M&M's semi-sweet chocolate mini baking bits. I had this great pan Wilton Brownie cup pan that I thought looked very much like a nest. The pan is designed so you can make a brownie and have a spot for the à la mode.
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| The bottom of the pan but the top of the "brownie cup" where the ice cream would normally be placed |
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| Top of the pan but the bottom of the "brownie cup." I have used Pam baking spray on it which has flour in it. |
I was also very tired and I doubled the recipe but I did not double the flour-- however it came out really good. It was probably a misstep after all that rest in between chopping the butter and etc for two sets of cookies. I will first include the original recipe and then I will introduce my recipe.
BIRD'S NEST COOKIES
From page 469 of the book " Great American Favorite Brand Name Cookbook" copyright 1997 by publication International, LTD. This recipe is doubled and is the sole property of Publications International, LTD).
2 2/3 cups (7 ounces) flaked coconut
2 cups (4 sticks) butter or margarine, softened
1 cup granulated sugar
2 large eggs
1 teaspoon vanilla extract
4 cups all-purpose flour
3.5 cups M&M's semi sweet chocolate mini baking bits, divided
1.) Preheat Oven to 300 degrees Fahrenheit
2.) On an ungreased cookie sheet spread flaked coconut.
3.) Toast in oven, stirring until begins to turn light golden about 25 minutes
(TIP: This happened for me at 6 minutes I stirred and by 8 minutes the shredded sweeten coconut was golden. You need to be actively watching the oven)
4.) Remove coconut from the cookie sheet and set aside
5.) Increase heat from 300 to 350 degrees Fahrenheit
6.) In a large bowl cream butter and sugar until light and fluffy
7.) Beat in one egg mixed with the vanilla one at a time.
8.) In another large bowl shift the flour with the salt
9.) Fold the dry ingredients in divided section into the creamed mixture.
10.) Stir in 2 cups of the of the M&M's semi-sweet mini baking bits
11.) Form dough into 1 1/4 inch balls
12.) Roll the dough balls heavily into the toasted coconut
13.) On a lightly greased cookie sheet place the dough balls 2 inches apart.
14.) Make indentations in the center of each cookie with thumb.
15.) Bake 12 to 14 minutes or until coconut is golden.
16.) Remove cookies to wire racks
17.) Immediately fill indentations of the cookies with remaining "M&M's semi-sweet chocolate mini baking bits, using scant amount for each cookie.
18.) Cool completely.
This is a variation of the recipe that was From page 469 of the book " Great American Favorite Brand Name Cookbook" copyright 1997 by publication International, LTD. This recipe is doubled and is to be used with 2 Wilton's Brownie Cup pans).
2 2/3 cups (7 ounces) sweetened shredded coconut
2 cups (4 sticks) butter or margarine, softened
1 cup granulated sugar
2 large eggs
1 teaspoon vanilla extract
2 cups all-purpose flour
2 cups Nestles Toll House Milk Chocolate Chunks
Pam's Baking Spray with flour
To decorate:
Green Frosting from Betty Crocker (or preferred frosting mine was actually Christmas green frosting I got on sale in January with the expiration date of 12/12).
Decorating pen/gun with grass tip (purchased separately)
Jelly Beans or chocolate eggs (I did not use but wish I had them)
Nonpareils or sprinkles in spring time colors
1.) Preheat Oven to 300 degrees Fahrenheit
2.) On an ungreased cookie sheet spread flaked coconut.
3.) Toast in oven, stirring until begins to turn light golden about 25 minutes
(TIP: This happened for me at 6 minutes I stirred and by 8 minutes the shredded sweeten coconut was golden. You need to be actively watching the oven)
4.) Remove coconut from the cookie sheet and set aside
5.) Keep Oven heat at 300 degrees Fahrenheit
6.) In a Stand mixer's bowl with the flat blade cream butter and sugar until light and fluffy
7.) Beat in one egg mixed with the vanilla one at a time letting the egg mix well with the creamed butter.
8.) In large bowl shift the flour with the salt
9.) Fold the dry ingredients in divided section into the wet ingredients letting the dry ingredients mix well.
(Tip: If you do not slowly fold the dry ingredients in sections into the wet ingredients the dry ingredients will explode into your face if you use a stand mixer. I learned this the hard way. Also you want consistency in the mixture especially before you add the chocolate chunks).
10.) Stir in about two cups of the toasted shredded sweeten coconut
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| Bird's Nest Treat mix with toasted coconut added to the mixture. |
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| Toasted Coconut and Nestle Toll House Chocolate chunks |
12.) Spray Pam's baking spray in the two Wilton's Brownie Cup pans
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| Wilton's Brownie Cup pan that has been sprayed with Pam's baking spray with flour |
13.) Divide the left over toasted coconut and place in the bottom of the Wilton brownie cup pans.
14.) Scoop with a regular sized ice cream scoop the dough into the Wilton Brownie cup pans. Then spread/smooth with a small spatula the dough to make sure that it is evenly smoothed out.
15.) Bake 16 to 18 minutes or until top is golden.This recipe yields twelve Bird's Nest Treats
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| Bird's Nest Treats baking on bottom rack at 300 for 16 to 18 minutes or until golden |
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| Bird's Nest Treats Golden |
16.) Cool completely.
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| I wish I added more toasted coconut to the bottom the the pan so there would be more toasted coconut on the top of the Bird's Nest Treats. The Bird's Nets are cooling on cooling rack on top of a jelly roll pan. |
17.) When the cups are cooled use green frosting and place into frosting gun with grass tip. Fill the cups with the green frosting.
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| Bird's Nest Treats showing the frosting and the finished product |
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| Finished Bird's Nest Treats |
Tip: I used what I had which were left over Chocolate chunks as eggs and rainbow nonpareils. I would have loved to scattered some jelly beans and chocolate eggs onto top of the Bird's Nest instead. Use your imagination and your budget!
Tip: This mistake actually ended up working in my favor. With less flour they were less brittle and more cake like than cookie-like. I do however want to have a rematch and try "The Great American Favorite Brand Name Cookbook" recipe.
Tip: Make sure to bake at 300 instead of 350 because the Wilton brownie cup pan is deep and you want it evenly cooked.
