Coconut Drops (Jamaican Style)

Ingredients

• 2 fresh coconuts (chopped into small pieces (total of 4 1/2 cups), see notes)
• 2 cups coconut sugar (heaping)
• 2 tbsp ginger (minced)
• 3 cups water
• 1/8 tsp cinnamon
• 1 tbsp almond essence
• 1 tsp vanilla
• 2 tsp ground ginger (optional)
• 1/8 tsp pink salt

Instructions

1. 1

   Line a baking tray with parchment paper /if using banana leaves have them ready and set aside.

2. 2

   Pour the water into a large saucepan and bring to the boil.Add the chopped coconut, coconut sugar along with the ginger and stir.

3. 3

   Reduce the heat to medium and continue to simmer until the syrup is sticky and almost gone. This can take about an hour or just over that time so keep that in mind.

4. 4

   Around 50 minutes into simmering add your almond essence, cinnamon and pink salt. Add some ground ginger if you like a strong taste in ginger.

5. 5

   Continue to simmer the syrup until it recedes and sticks to the coconut pieces and there's very little syrup left, it should be very very sticky (this is absolutely crucial to make the drops set, you were warned!!)

6. 6

   Use a spoon (you may need two) to scoop out the coconut and place onto the parchment paper leaving a few inches gap between dropping the next one. It sets very fast so act quickly.

7. 7

   Leave the drops to set then eat when you are ready.