German Chocolate Trifles

Brownie

1. Preheat the oven to 350 degrees F. Line the bottom of a 9×13-inch pan with parchment paper. Grease the sides and parchment paper with nonstick cooking spray.
2. In a microwave-safe bowl, add in the butter. Place in the microwave for two 30 second intervals. Stir after each interval.
3. In a large mixing bowl, add in the brown sugar, granulated sugar, and cocoa powder. Whisk together to remove the lumps.
4. Add the melted butter, hot water, and vanilla into the sugar and cocoa powder ingredients. Whisk until everything is combined.
5. Add in the lightly beaten eggs and continue whisking until smooth.
6. Add in the baking soda and flour. Whisk until incorporated. There may be a few lumps in the batter but that’s okay.
7. Stir the chocolate chips into the batter.
8. Pour the batter into the prepared baking pan. Spread the batter to the sides and into the corners of the pan evenly.
9. Place in the preheated oven and bake for 30-35 minutes or until done. Place a toothpick into the center of the brownies. If the toothpick comes out clean or with moist crumbs, it’s done. Let the brownies cool.

Caramel Coconut Filling

1. In a medium saucepan, add in the sugar and egg yolks. Using a clean whisk, whisk together until well combined.
2. Add in the sweetened condensed milk and butter. Place the saucepan over medium/low heat. Once the butter melts, turn the heat up to medium and whisk occasionally. Let the mixture cook until it thickens, about 10 minutes.
3. Once thickened, pour the mixture into a heat-proof bowl. Add in the vanilla, 1 cup of toasted coconut, and pecans. Stir with a spatula until combined.

Chocolate Frosting

1. Place the chocolate chips in a microwave-safe bowl. Microwave in 30 second intervals and stir after each interval. Mine took three 30-second intervals to completely melt the chips into a smooth mixture.
2. In a separate large mixing bowl, add the butter and melted chocolate chops. Beat with a hand mixer on medium speed until combined.
3. Add in the corn syrup and powdered sugar. Beat on low speed until the powdered sugar is combined. Turn the mixer on high and let it whip for another 3 minutes until light and fluffy. If the mixture is too thick for you, add a tablespoon of milk to thin out.

Assembling the Trifles

1. Using a glass that has a opening about the same size as the cups you’re using for your trifle, cut out 6 circles from the brownies using the glass.
2. Place the brownies on the bottom of the cups for the single-serve trifles.
3. Add as much of the filling on top of the brownie as you would like and push to the edges of the cup with a spatula. I used 1 1/2 tablespoons to 2 1/2 tablespoons of caramel coconut filling for each layer.
4. Place the frosting in a piping bag fitted with the wilton 1M piping tip and pipe out a layer of frosting.
5. Repeat the layers. Top with the trifles with the remaining 1/4 cup of toasted coconut for garnish.
6. Refrigerate until ready to serve.