Filled Chocolate Cups Say You Care

The original title of this recipe was "Filled Chocolate Cups" but the headline in the newspaper where it was published was "Filled Chocolate Cups Say You Care." Mom made a point of showing us the headline the first time she made them, and they have forever become "Filled Chocolate Cups Say You Care."

12 ounces semi-sweet chocolate chips

1 TBSP vegetable shortening (pronounced "veg-i-tah-bul")

7 ounces flaked coconut, divided in half

1 pkg (3 1/4 oz.) vanilla pudding

1/2 pint whipping cream

4 tsps. vanilla

Melt chocolate chips and vegetable shortening together. Stir in 3 1/2 ounces of the coconut. Place cupcake papers into a muffin tin and place approximately 1 TBSP of the chocolate mixture into each cup. Use the back of a teaspoon to spread the mixture into cup shape, forming a shell. Put in refrigerator until cold.

Cook pudding as directed. Cool. Whip the cream until stiff and fold into pudding. Add 3 1/2 ounces of coconut and vanilla. Fold. Put filling into chocolate cups. Keep refrigerated and serve cold.