The Secret Recipe Club: Almond Joy Fudge Brownies

It's time for our monthly installment of The Secret Recipe Club! This month I was assigned Grandma Loy's Kitchen. Grandma Loy has been testing and trying out recipes for the last 50 years and has so many great recipes to chose from. She also has an entire collection of "make your own groceries." There's recipes for cake mix, brownie mix, dips, spices and many others. I'll definitely be back to try some of those recipes out since I'm all about baking from scratch instead of using boxed mixes.

So after browsing all the recipes I decided on her recipe for Almond Joy Fudgies. I love Almond Joy candy bars and I knew this recipe wouldn't disappoint. It was super simple to make and I loved that it was a great recipe to include my daughter in baking with me. These brownies are rich and fudgey. You definitely can eat just a small piece and fulfill your chocolate craving - which I've been having lately since I'm trying to get back into pre-Cooper shape. I guess this probably wasn't the best recipe to make while watching what I'm eating and working out....LOL!

1 1/4 cup unsalted butter
3/4 cup cocoa
2 cup sugar
1 cup flour
1/4 tsp salt
1 tsp vanilla
3 eggs
1 cup semi-sweet chocolate chips

Filling:
2/3 cup sweetened condensed milk
2 1/2 cup flaked coconut
1 tsp almond extract
1/2 cup toasted, sliced almonds

Preheat oven to 350 degrees. Grease a 9x13 inch baking pan and set aside.

In a sauce pan over low heat or in a glass bowl in the microwave, melt the butter and cocoa together. Once combined, remove from heat. Add the sugar, eggs, flour, salt and vanilla to the chocolate mixture.

In a medium bowl, combine the filling ingredients except for the sliced almonds.

Spread half of the chocolate mixture in your greased pan. Spread the coconut mixture over the chocolate layer. Sprinkle the sliced almonds over the coconut mixture and then top with the remaining chocolate layer.

Bake for 35 to 40 minutes. Remove the pan from the oven and immediately sprinkle with the cup of chocolate chips. Place the pan back in the oven for 2 to 3 minutes or until the chocolate chips begin to melt. Remove from oven and spread the melted chocolate chips over the top of the brownie layer. Allow to cool completely and then cut into 36 bars.

Want to be part of the Secret Recipe Club? Join here!