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coco bread - pan de coco

This is probably one of the more popular breads you can find around you, and this particular type of bread is popular mainly because of its filling. The filling reminds some people of bukayo, while others say that it reminds them of coconut macaroons. Whatever the case may be, pan de coco is a very popular type of bread in the Philippines and here is a recipe for it.

Ingredients:

DOUGH

  • 3/4 cups warm water
  • 2 1/4 tsp active dry yeast
  • 2 1/4 teaspoon salt
  • 2 eggs, room temperature, lightly beaten
  • 1/4 cup light brown sugar
  • 1/4 cup soft margarine
  • 3 1/2 cups bread flour
  • 1 egg extra egg mixed with some water for the egg wash

FILLING

  • 1/2 cup coconut milk
  • 1 1/2 cups desiccated coconut
  • 1/4 cup water
  • 3/4 dark brown sugar or muscovado
  • 1 teaspoon vanilla

DIRECTIONS:

  1. In a large bowl, combine yeast and warm water.
  2. Next, mix together the eggs, margarine and light brown sugar. Add to the yeast and water mixture.
  3. Mix together the flour and the salt, and then add to the liquid mixture. Combine these ingredients with a spiral mixer set at low and using dough hooks, or mix these with the use of your hands but, make sure that you do not knead this.
  4. Once the dough comes together in a soft ball, remove from the mixer and cover the bowl with plastic wrap. Let this rise for an hour.
  5. Next, prepare your filling.
  6. In a saucepan, place your filling ingredients and bring to a gentle summer. Keep cooking your coco bread filling until the liquid thickens and the resulting product is similar to that of a jam or bukayo. Set aside and let cool.
  7. Check on the dough. Once you see that it has doubled in size, deflate it with a pat, and sprinkle flour on top (since this is a sticky kind of dough).
  8. Remove the dough from the bowl and on a lightly floured, clean surface. Divide the dough evenly into lemon sized pieces.
  9. Take these pieces one by one, flatten each by hand onto the flour dusted surface, then with the use of a clean teaspoon, place a heaping teaspoon of the filling on the flattened dough.
  10. Bring the edges together and enclose the filling into the dough.
  11. Place each finished pan de coco onto a greased or lined baking pan, making sure that the sealed part is underneath.
  12. Gently deflate the dough then lightly dust it with flour as it would be sticky to handle.
  13. Pinch a lime sized dough and flatten it by hand in a lightly dusted board, place a tablespoon of the sweetened coconut then bring all the edges of the dough together.
  14. Place it on a greased baking pan with seals on the bottom side then do it with the remaining dough.
  15. If you have a proofer, place your prepared uncooked pan de coco in it for an hour to rise further. If you do not have a proofer, place it in a warm place to rise.
  16. While the bread is rising, preheat your home or bakery oven to 180 degrees Celsius or 356 degrees Fahrenheit.
  17. After the bread has risen again, approximately for an hour, brush the top with the eggwash, and place in the preheated oven.
  18. Bake for 15 minutes, or until you can see the tops of your pan de coco turn golden brown.