Coconut Crunch Delight

My Grandma turns 90 this week. I can't believe it. You wouldn't either, if you could meet her. The woman refuses to act her age. I have been so blessed in my life to know all of my grandparents as well as a good number of my great-grandparents. They are such a part of me that I can't imagine letting them go. Grandma has seven kids and lots of grandkids and lots of great-grandkids, so get-togethers with this group always ends up being more of a reunion than anything.

Of course, we always eat well on these days.

This was a recipe that I made several times a few years ago. When our house burned, I thought I had lost the recipe, but it turns out I had written it out for someone at school and made a copy. This copy had somehow gotten stuck in between my desk drawers and when I went in search of my green laser, I found it, wrinkled and somewhat shredded. Still no word on the laser, but I can't describe how excited I was to find the recipe.

Melt 1/2 cup butter and mix with 1 cup flour, 1/4 cup brown sugar and 1 1/4 cup shredded coconut. The recipe calls for slivered almonds as well, but I forgot to add those in :(
Bake the mixture at 350 for 10 minutes. You don't need to make it into a crust...
because after 10 minutes you are going to stir it all up and put it back in the oven for another 10 minutes.
Then stir again and bake for between 5 and 10 minutes more. You want it nice and golden brown; more of a toasted rather than baked.
While that is cooling, add 1 package of instant vanilla pudding and one package of instant coconut cream pudding to 2 2/3 cups milk. Whisk this all together. You don't really need to get out your giant stand mixer, but mine is still fairly new and I still need excuses to use it.
Fold in 2 cups of whipped topping. If your children are AWOL and not hovering over the bowl, just add in the entire tub.
Spread about 2/3 of the toasted mixture onto the bottom of a 9 x 13 pan. You can use the one you toasted the mixture in if it has cooled. Then spoon the pudding mixture on top. It's pretty important to spoon it on instead of just pouring it in (experience here), otherwise you will end up with all your crust on one end of the pan.
Sprinkle the remaining crust mixture on top.
I'm not sure how all those test kitchens end up with perfect squares on their plates, but in my world, we just spoon it out. I love this dessert. It is so light and delicious and it just feels like spring. And so, so easy. Jeff loves coconut cream pie, and I can never get pie to turn out how I want it. This is an incredible substitute.

Click here for Printable Recipe

Coconut Crunch Delight
1/2 Cup Butter, Melted
1 cup Flour
1-1/4 cups Flaked Coconut
1/4 cup Brown Sugar
1 cup Slivered Almonds
1 package Instant Vanilla Pudding Mix
1 package Instant Coconut Pudding Mix
2-2/3 cups Cold Milk
2 cups Whipped Topping

In a bowl, combine first five ingredients; press lightly into greased 9x13 pan. Bake at 350° for 25-30 minutes or until golden brown, stirring every 10 minutes to form coarse crumbs. Cool. Divide crumb mixture in half; press half into the same baking pan. In a mixing bowl, beat pudding and milk. Fold in whipped topping; spoon over crust. Top with remaining crumb mixture. Cover and refrigerate overnight. Garnish with fresh strawberries if desired.