Coconut Buns

Ingredients

Time: 3 Hours (patience is a virtue)
Yield: 6 glorious coconut buns

The Dough

• 2 cups all-purpose flour

• 1 tsp instant yeast

• 2 Tbsp sugar

• 1/4 tsp salt

• 1 egg (room temperature)

• 1/2 cup warm milk (the higher % fat the better)

• 3 Tbsp soften unsalted butter

The Filling

• 1 cup desiccated coconut (If using shredded coconut, put it through the food processor for 20 seconds)

• 1 egg (room temperature)

• 5 Tbsp sugar (more or less depending on how sweet you want it)

• 1/2 cup melted unsalted butter

The Topping

• 3 Tbsp cake flour, sifted

• 3 Tbsp powder sugar, sifted

• 3 Tbsp melted unsalted butter

• Sesame seeds for sprinkling

• 2-3 tsp egg wash

Let’s get cooking…

The Dough

1. In a mixing bowl add flour, yeast, sugar and salt then using a wooden spoon (or dough hook attachment) stir in the egg and milk. Once you get a crumbly texture add in the softened butter and mix until combined

2. Put the dough on a floured surface and begin to knead with light pressure as the dough will be sticky. Once it comes together shape the dough into a ball, cover and set it aside in a warm place to proof until it doubles in size (1-2 hours)

The Filling

1. In a mixing bowl whisk together the egg (scoop 2-3 tsp and set aside, you’ll use this as the egg wash before baking) and sugar. Using a spatula, add in the coconut and melted butter until combined well. Once the mixture sits it will thicken as the coconut absorbs the liquid - feel free to adjust depending on how you like your filling consistency

The Topping

1. Sift the cake flour and powder sugar into a small bowl. Add melted butter and stir until smooth. Transfer the mixture into a piping bag (or zip lock bag). The topping will also thicken as the flour hydrates so don’t worry if the mixture seems runny at first

Bring it together

1. Divide the dough into 6 pieces (pro tip: use a scale to ensure the weight is even)

2. Roll each piece into a ball then using a rolling pin flatten into an oval (~4x3 inches)

3. Place 1/6 of the filling in the centre of the oval and wrap the dough around ensuring the filling is sealed inside. Using your hands roll the buns on the counter to ensure a uniform cylinder shape

4. Transfer your filled buns onto a parchment-lined baking sheet and cover with a clean kitchen towel. Allow the buns to rise for another 30 minutes

5. Pipe the topping making two parallel lines across the buns, brush on the egg wash and sprinkle sesame seeds or leftover coconut shavings

6. Preheat your oven to 350°F degrees and bake for 18-20 minutes until golden brown

Enjoy!