The first time I saw cocchini—delicious, refreshing coconut and chocolate cubes—was in a pastry shop along the canal in Cervia (Province of Ravenna, Italy). Their version had just the white part and the chocolate, without the biscuit base. These treats were like little coconut clouds that I would bite into in slow motion, just to savor every bit.

I looked for the recipe for years until I found Ernst Knam’s coconut bars, which do include a biscuit, coconut, and butter base, topped with chocolate.

My version is cut into small cubes and has three layers of goodness: biscuit, coconut, and chocolate. Perfect for these hot days when you want to prepare a dessert for your guests, but don’t feel like turning on the oven.

Equipment:

Blender, square cake pan, parchment paper, spatula, sharp knife, cling film

Yield:

36 cubes

Ingredients:

For the biscuit base

Biscuits – 120 grams (I used Trader Joe’s Animal Crackers, you can use other simple, plain, not too sweet cookies)

Butter – 100 grams

Shredded coconut – 30 grams

For the coconut filling

Canned coconut cream – 150 ml

Butter – 80 grams

Powdered sugar – 70 grams

Shredded coconut – 200 grams

For the chocolate topping

Dark chocolate – 100 grams

Canned coconut cream – 50 ml

Shredded coconut – 1 tablespoon

Preparation

For the biscuit base:

Melt the butter in the microwave. Blend the biscuits in a blender, then add the melted butter and shredded coconut. Mix well, spread into a square cake pan or Pyrex dish lined with parchment paper, and chill in the fridge or freezer.

For the coconut filling:

Melt the butter in the microwave. In a clean blender, add the coconut cream, melted butter, shredded coconut, and powdered sugar. Blend well until the mixture is smooth and even. Take the pan out of the fridge and spread this mixture on top of the biscuits base. Return to the freezer or fridge.

For the chocolate topping:

In a bowl, combine the coconut cream and dark chocolate and melt in the microwave. Mix well until smooth and creamy. Take the pan from the fridge and quickly spread the chocolate mixture over the previous layers. Sprinkle the shredded coconut on top, and let rest in the freezer, well wrapped in plastic wrap, for a couple of hours.

Remove from the fridge and cut into cubes using a sharp knife. I made them quite small and got 36 cubes.

Serve and enjoy!

Tips

I prefer using the freezer for this recipe because it speeds up the process, and the cold helps each layer set quickly. Plus, I can store them like mini frozen treats and bring them out just before serving.

If you do not find coconut cream, you can use milk cream instead.

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