Neapolitan Coconut Strips

• 12 ounces white chocolate, chopped
• 1 can (14 ounces) sweetened condensed milk
• 1 1/2 ounces (3 tablespoons) unsalted butter
• 1/2 teaspoon coarse salt
• 1 vanilla bean, split and scraped, pod reserved for another use
• 4 ounces finely shredded unsweetened coconut (1 1/4 cup)
• 4 ounces finely shredded sweetened coconut (1 1/3 cup)
• 1 ounce milk chocolate, melted
• 1 drop red gel-paste food coloring

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 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.

 

VERDICT:  Huge disappointment.  Martha's picture looked just exactly like those coconut candies you used to be able to get from the Brach's Pick-A-Mix, and I was super excited to take them to Christmas.  My finished product did look pretty much like a somewhat squished version of the classic, but it tasted chalky and overly sweet.  I know part of this is my fault--Lund's did not have finely shredded unsweetened coconut, so I used all sweetened--but I don't think that was the whole problem.  Toss.