Coconut buns

I just heard "coconut bread" and started researching. After seeing several recipes that caught my interest and testing a few, I consider this recipe absolutely approved and I’m eager to share it — it's very tasty, easy, and soft for making these coconut rolls. The result isrolls with a light coconut flavor, incredibly tender, with a thin crust and truly delicious.

I didn’t know coconut bread was typically served in some areas of the Caribbean. It’s common for coconut bread to accompany certain fish dishes, and I can see why they pair wonderfully: rice in many of those regions is made with coconut, and fish can also be roasted with coconut oil.

In any case, I choose to serve these rolls at any time, because they’re really tasty, and instead of having an intense coconut flavor they result in a mild bite, perfect both for coconut lovers and those who aren’t big fans (Claudia’s word!).

Today they were a great bite for the little ones: paired with chocolate they made a perfect snack.

De Buyer baking mat and Claudia&Julia natural linen bread box.

Ingredients

• One packet of dry baker's yeast (4.6 gr)
• 1 cup of coconut milk
• 3 tbsp melted coconut oil
• 1 tsp salt
• 1 tbsp packed brown sugar
• 1 tbsp packed white sugar
• 1 cup wheat flour
• 2 cups bread flour
• 3/4 cup shredded coconut

*For measuring the cups, you can either use the "1 cup" scoop from the Nordic Ware measuring Set, or take a glass or cup from your tableware with a 220 ml capacity and fill it with water.

Preparation

1. Warm the coconut milk a little in a saucepan or microwave and pour in the dry yeast. Mix and let rest for a couple of minutes.

2. Mix the melted coconut oil with the sugars. Add the flours and salt and mix with the KitchenAid mixer at low speed, using the paddle attachment.

3. Add the coconut milk with the yeast, mix and add the shredded coconut.

4. Switch to the dough hook attachment, with which you will knead at medium/high speed (spd. 6) for several minutes, with a few rests in between. This dough doesn't require much work or kneading; you’ll see it take on a soft, integrated texture quickly.

5. If it seems too dry, add one more teaspoon of coconut oil and knead a bit more with the paddle attachment.

6. Let the dough rest in a warm place (see notes), until it has practically doubled in size. In about forty-five minutes to an hour you’ll see it risen.

KitchenAid Artisan food mixer.

7. Turn it out onto a floured surface, divide into portions as desired using a bench scraper (I made 9 rolls of about 100 to 110 gr each with this amount of dough, but you can make fewer if you want larger loaves, or bake a round coconut loaf directly). Shape them, place on a tray with perforated mat, make a cut and cover with plastic wrap.

Küchenprofi set of 3 scrapers and spatulas.

8. Covered, let them rest 20 more minutes. After that time, sprinkle with shredded coconut and place in the middle/lower part of the oven, preheated to 220 ºC for 10 minutes. Then lower to 180 ºC and keep them for about 15 more minutes.

De Buyer baking mat and Küchenprofi set of 3 scrapers and spatulas.

9. When they look done, remove them from the oven and let them cool a few minutes before enjoying. The wait will be hard with the aroma they give off, consider yourself warned.

De Buyer baking mat and Claudia&Julia natural linen bread box.

Notes

• You’ll see they bake quickly if you make small rolls. Don’t get distracted or wander off too far!
• I didn’t glaze them, but you can do so with liquid coconut oil or with beaten egg before adding the coconut on top.
• To let them rise, the oven is a very good place: heat the oven for 5 minutes at 50 ºC, turn the oven off and place the bowl with the dough that needs to rise inside. Cover the bowl with a damp cotton cloth so the dough doesn’t dry out; the bowl will warm up a bit and the dough will rise wonderfully.
• Next time, I’ll add a teaspoon of cinnamon and a bit of nutmeg; I think they’ll be amazing after trying them.

I hope you like them. If you decide to make them, tell me how they turned out.