Coconut Bake

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Coconut Bake
Coconut bake is a popular Trinbagonian bread made with fresh coconut milk and grated coconut. It has a semi-dense but soft texture and is commonly enjoyed with savoury dishes like buljol, tomatoes choka, eggs and of course cheese and butter. I also really love to toast a slice of bake and slather it with pineapple or guava jam for that yummy tropical vibe.
Makes one large 12-inch bake or 2 smaller 8-inch bakes.
Ingredients
1 ¼ cups warm coconut milk water (110-120°F)
1 ¾ tsp instant yeast
3 tsp sugar (2 tsp for the flour, 1 tsp for the yeast mixture)
3 ½ cups flour
¾ cup freshly grated coconut
1 tsp salt
4 tbsp soft butter
Directions
1. To prepare/bloom yeast add 1 tsp of sugar and yeast to warm coconut milk. Stir and let sit for 5 minutes until foamy.
2. In the meantime, combine flour, 2 tsp sugar, salt and soft butter, grated coconut in the bowl of a stand mixer using the paddle attachment. You can also use your hands to rub the butter into the flour and incorporate the ingredient until it looks like breadcrumbs.
3. When the yeast mixture is ready, slowly add it to the flour and mix on low speed to combine. Use the dough hook and knead on medium speed for 5 minutes adding more flour or coconut milk as necessary. The dough should form a soft ‘ball’ around the dough hook- that’s when you know it is done.
4. I like to transfer the dough onto a floured surface and knead by hand for a few more minutes, until the dough is smooth and elastic. If the dough is too soft when kneading, add some oil to your hands and this will prevent the dough from sticking. The dough should feel soft, smooth and elastic but not sticky.
5. Place the dough in an oiled bowl, then turn it over so the top is lightly oiled. Cover and let rest in a warm spot for about 30 minutes until it is nearly doubled in size (but not fully doubled).
6. Punch down the dough and remove from the bowl and place on a greased baking pan.
7. Roll/ shape the dough into a 12-inch circle about ½ inch to ¾ inch thick. Adjust the thickness and size of the dough based on your preference. You can also make 2 smaller bakes.
8. Poke holes on the top with a fork.
9. Cover and let rest in a warm place for 15-20 minutes- after which the dough should raise a bit more but not too much.
10. Bake in a preheated oven at 375°F for 20 to 25 minutes or until lightly golden.
11. Remove from pan and enjoy hot with lots of butter.
Tips
1. Fresh coconut milk and grated coconut is best for this recipe, but if not readily available you can use frozen grated coconut (unsweetened) and canned coconut milk.
2. Yeast- if using instant yeast this can be added directly to the flour mixture- it’s not necessary to bloom it first in the water (I prefer to bloom it as this is how my Mom taught me). If using active- dry yeast you must bloom the yeast in liquid to activate it before adding to the flour.
3. Kneading- you may need to gradually add a little bit more flour or liquid to get the dough to the desired texture during kneading. You want a dough that is soft and elastic but not too sticky- so adjust accordingly.
4. Raise time and temperature- the time the dough takes to raise depends on the ambient temperature. In warm/tropical temperatures the dough will raise much faster compared to cold/temperate conditions. So be sure to check the size of the dough rather than the time to know when it has doubled.
5. This dough can easily be made by hand instead of a stand mixer- you will have to knead it a bit longer by hand until it is smooth and elastic.