CRUNCHY NUT CLUSTERS FOR YOUR VALENTINE

To customize these candies, just choose the nuts - either macadamias or pecans - then blend them with toasted coconut and the chocolate of your choice. Makes about 4 dozen clusters.

These would make a great presentation when placed in a heart-shaped box - either a new one, or a treasure saved from Valentine's Days past.

CRUNCHY NUT CLUSTERS

Ingredients:

Candy cups (miniature paper or foil liners)
2 and 2/3 cups sweetened flaked coconut
2 cups pecans or 1 (6-ounce) jar macadamia nuts, chopped
2 and 2/3 cups white or semisweet chocolate chips

For the glaze:

1/3 cup white chocolate (melted with 1/2 tablespoon vegetable shortening) or 1/3 cup semisweet chocolate

Instructions:

Line 4 miniature muffin pans with candy cups; set them aside. Heat the oven to 350 degrees. Spread the coconut and nuts on separate cookie sheets. Bake each until golden brown, about 9 minutes for the nuts and 10 for the coconut, stirring every few minutes to keep them from burning. Let them cool.

Combine the toasted coconut and nuts in a medium-size bowl. Melt the chocolate chips -- white or semisweet -- in the microwave according to the package directions. Add the melted chocolate to the coconut mixture; stir well. Drop the mixture by heaping teaspoonfuls into the candy cups. Chill until set, about 45 minutes.

Melt the remaining chocolate according to the package directions. Pour the contents into a ziplock bag. Snip off a small corner of the bag, then drizzle the chocolate over the clusters. Chill until the glaze is set, about 15 minutes. Store in an airtight container in the refrigerator.