CHOCOLATE COCONUT GANACHE

1. Place the cream into a saucepan and bring to the boil.
2. Meanwhile, place the milk chocolate into a microwave-safe plastic bowl. Heat in the microwave in 30 second increments, stirring in between, until you have 50% solids and 50% liquid.
3. Once the cream has come to the boil, pour it over the milk chocolate and whisk until the chocolate has completely melted and incorporated into the cream.
4. Add in the butter, a cube at a time, whisking after each addition until completely incorporated.
5. Add in the coconut and stir with a spatula to combine.
6. Cover with plastic wrap touching the surface of the ganache and set aside at room temperature for 4 hours or until firm enough to pipe.
7. Transfer the ganache into a piping bag fitted with a 15mm plain piping tube.
8. Line a tray with baking paper, securing the corners of the baking paper to the tray with a small amount of ganache.
9. Pipe individual balls of ganache onto the baking paper.
10. Place a lollipop stick into the centre of each ganache ball, ensuring the sticks are all pointing straight up. If the sticks do not hold in the ganache, allow the ganache balls to firm up slightly before placing the sticks in.
11. Allow to sit at room temperature overnight.

FINISHING

1. Heat the oven to 160˚C, fan forced.
2. Line a baking tray with baking paper and spread the desiccated coconut out evenly on top.
3. Bake in the pre-heated oven for 8-10 minutes, until golden in colour, mixing the coconut halfway through baking to ensure even toasting. Allow to cool at room temperature.
4. Temper the milk chocolate by placing it into a microwave-safe plastic bowl, heat in 30 second increments, stirring in between. Once you have 50% solids and 50% liquid, stir vigorously until the solids have completely melted.
5. Dip the ganache lollipops into the tempered chocolate, one at a time, remove the excess chocolate and sit the lollipop onto the tray of coconut until set.

NOTE: Once set, store any remaining chocolate in an airtight container for future use.