NO-BAKE CHOCOLATE COCONUT LAYER DESSERT

Some favourite relatives (I’m sure you all know about having favourite relatives and others are just tolerated 😉🤣) came to visit us this week and I was scrambling to come up with a quick and easy dessert to follow a family bbq we had planned. I found some nilla wafer cookies, a box of coconut cream pie filling in the cabinet and had some left over cream cheese in the fridge from a previous recipe. This easy and delicious layered dessert is what I came up with and was a definite hit. Absolutely delicious!

It is very easily modified into other flavors like banana, pistachio, etc by using a different flavored boxed pie filling.

CRUST

• 4 cups Nilla Wafer cookies

• 6 tbsp butter, melted

FILLING

Layer 1:

• 1 cup cream cheese, softened

• 1 cup white sugar

• 1 (8oz) container Cool Whip topping, thawed

• 1/2 cup sweetened shredded or flaked coconut

Layer 2:

• 3/4 cup semi sweet chocolate chips

• 2/3 cup heavy cream

Layer 3:

• 1 box coconut cream pie filling

• 2 cups whole milk

Topping:

• 2 cups heavy whipping cream

• 1/2 cup icing sugar

• 1 tsp vanilla

• 1/2 cup toasted flaked coconut

DIRECTIONS:

1. Blend the Nilla Wafers in a blender or food processor until finely ground.

2. Add the 6 tbsp of melted butter to the Nilla crumbs and blend well. Firmly press the mixture evenly into the bottom of a 9” x 11” pan. ( I like to use a metal spatula to press it down flat)

3. In a large bowl, using an electric mixer, beat the cream cheese and sugar for 4-5 minutes until light and fluffy. Add the Cool Whip and flaked coconut and continue to mix until combined. Pour onto the Nilla crust and evenly spread out.

4. Add semi sweet chocolate chips to a bowl. Heat heavy cream in a microwave or pot until hot, but not boiling. Pour over chocolate chips, cover with plastic and let sit for 2 minutes. Blend well with a spoon until a glossy ganache forms and then spread over the cream cheese layer. Refrigerate.

5. In a medium sized saucepan, pour in the pie filling powder and 2 cups of milk. Cook according to box instructions. Allow to cool to almost room temperature. Spread pie filling mixture over chocolate ganache layer.

6. Whip heavy cream with vanilla and icing sugar 60-90 seconds until soft peaks form. Spread over cooled pie filling layer and sprinkle toasted shredded or flaked coconut over the top.

7. Refrigerate for 4 or more hours until completely set. Serve.