Top | Frostings, Icings, and Sauces

Coconut-Pecan Filling

(recipe, Carrie Floyd)

Introduction

As much as I love German Chocolate Cake, I don't always like how cloyingly sweet the filling is. By cutting back on the sugar and using a blend of sweetened and unsweetened coconut, I've come up with an alternative I like. The brown sugar gives the filling a slightly caramelly taste and color. Use this filling between layers of Carrie's Chocolate Cake for German Chocolate Cake.

Ingredients

1. 4 large egg yolks
2. 1 can (12 ounces) evaporated milk
3. 1 cup packed brown sugar
4. 6 Tbsp. unsalted butter, cut into 6 pieces
5. ⅛ tsp. salt
6. 2 tsp. vanilla
7. 1 cup sweetened coconut
8. 1 cup unsweetened coconut
9. 1½ cups pecans, toasted and finely chopped

Steps

1. In a medium saucepan, whisk egg yolks with evaporated milk. Add brown sugar, butter, and salt and cook over medium-high heat, stirring constantly, until it comes to a boil and is slightly thickened, 5 to 10 minutes.
2. Remove from heat and stir in vanilla, coconut, and pecans. Transfer mixture to a bowl, cover, and refrigerate until cool, about 2 hours.