Coconut Bake (recipe)

Filed Under pareve, vegetarian, breakfast, brunch, breads | Posted on March 2, 2008

OK guys, so sorry for taking so long to return but things have been INSANE! Avon has been taking over my life, which is not necessarily a bad thing, but definitely unexpected! It’s quickly becoming my main source of income, which after a year of having little to no income is a very welcome thing, especially since I love everything it involves :) I have however not stopped cooking and I have finally found the time to complete some of the many unfinished entries that are currently lingering in “draft-ville’.

Here in Trinidad the term bake is applied to any bread which is not leavened with yeast. It also usually involves cutting fat into flour in the early stages. People often ask me how I get my bakes to be so soft, well after much soul searching I am ready to share my ’secret’ :P Ice water! I love to keep the dough as cold as possible and nothing does that better than ice water. Not only does that stop the gluten in the dough from toughening up it also keeps the little fat particles solid. This way they generate more steam in the baking process, resulting in a light fluffy bake. Of course, I have also heard that there are people out there who also love a rock-hard bake… So, I guess in that case I suppose doing the opposite of anything I suggested would yield you the results you desire ;)

For me Coconut bake generates memories of Sunday mornings and warm Milo or some other form of hot chocolate. What memories does Coconut Bake have for you? :)


Coconut Bake

INGREDIENTS:

2 cups Flour
3/4 teaspoon salt
2 teaspoons baking powder
1 ounce margarine
3/4 cup grated coconut
2 tablespoons sugar
2/3 cup water

METHOD:

1. Sift flour, salt and baking powder into a bowl.
2. Rub in the fat, then stir in sugar and grated coconut.

3. Add water, and mix into a firm dough.
4. Turn out onto floured board, knead lightly, shape into a ball and leave covered for 15-20 minutes.

5. Press into the center and using a rolling pin, roll into a circular shape about ¾” thick. Mark ‘wedges’ into dough with fork perforations

6. Heat oven to 350°.
7. Put onto a flat, greased baking sheet and bake till golden brown for about 20-30 minutes.

8. Remove from oven.
9. Cut into wedges 2-3 inches wide.
10. Serve hot, attractively arranged on a flat dish.



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19 Responses to “Coconut Bake (recipe)”

  1. Khary on March 2nd, 2008 4:19 pm | link

    Definitely have to try this one…as of yet I’ve never recreated a bake either coconut, wholewheat or plain quite like my father’s…I’ve begged him time and time again for the recipe…but he says there’s none…it’s just experience…lol. Next time I’m home I’m gonna have to force one out of him!

    Btw…love this site! Made some of the recipes before…aloo pies, accra and sugarcake…all top-notch stuff!

  2. Cynthia on March 2nd, 2008 7:03 pm | link

    Sarina, I made coconut bake just yesterday and had some for breakfast this morning :)

    Thanks for the ice-water tip. I did not have problems with mine, it was soft and so good :)

    Glad to hear that things are going well for you.

  3. Chennette on March 2nd, 2008 10:43 pm | link

    welcome back to posting recipes!!
    The bake looks deliciously fluffy and golden on the outside. Real nice.

  4. Sarina on March 3rd, 2008 12:18 am | link

    Khary - thanks! I have another sugarcake recipe to post in the near future, it even involves chocolate :D came out soo yum! :D

    Cynthia - hey there stranger :D ! Glad to know yours came out soft and yummy :D

    Chennette - It’s good to be back!!! Can’t go wrong with good bake :D

  5. Nandita on March 3rd, 2008 2:26 am | link

    Dear Sarina,
    Glad to see you back in action, was wondering why no new posts from you…coconut cake does seem like something my parents and grandparents will love - anything with coconut brings it close to South Indian tastebuds :)
    Thanks for the ice water tip!

  6. Sarina on March 3rd, 2008 3:24 am | link

    Nandita - thanks for the comment! It’s been too long :) I will check out your blog now :D

  7. Nicole on March 3rd, 2008 12:12 pm | link

    Welcome back and I am happy that the Avon gig is working out for you.
    Coconut bake reminds me of lunch at Veni Mange LOL. We must have had the same cooking teacher in form one, as one of the first things she taught us was the ice water trick for pastries etc.

  8. Sarina on March 3rd, 2008 5:54 pm | link

    Nicole - thanks! :D hehehe Veni Mange yumm.. I really have to go back there sometime. I had a lunch there once that was out of this world when it came to unexpected fusions of flavours.. mmmm :) How funny that your teacher said the same thing hehe, I don’t even remember where I got the ice water thing from :) Did you go Bishop’s? :) lol … :)

  9. Chennette on March 4th, 2008 12:16 am | link

    Ah, I was always taught cold water and coldness for pastries to make them flakier, but it wasn’t until I read a French Cooking book Mom has that the details of pastry were made clear to me. Of course, they could have taught me that in Home Ec in George’s but ahm…perhaps, just maybe I wasn’t paying attention.
    And oooohhh, I remember the coconut bake as bread served at Veni Mange, although I have only actually been once. Shame on me.

  10. Josh Lane on March 4th, 2008 1:21 am | link

    Sarina! We’ve missed you!!!

    Well, guess it’s nothing a little coconut bake recipe can’t fix.

    :-D

  11. Marsha on March 4th, 2008 12:23 pm | link

    Hi Sarina
    Thanks for the ice water tip. I was always afraid to make bake because I thought that it would be hard.
    Glad that you are back! :)

  12. Lisa on March 4th, 2008 3:54 pm | link

    Glad you are back. I’ve missed your delicious recipes!

  13. jeena on March 5th, 2008 9:17 am | link

    Hi there my name is Jeena and I have started a food recipe forum that I thought you would like to join here Click here for food recipe forum

    I would love to see you on there to chat about food and cooking you can talk about anything you like and start your very own topics. :-)
    or see my main food recipe website Jeenas food recipe site

    Hope to see you soon

    Thanks

    Jeena x

  14. Melanie on March 8th, 2008 1:10 pm | link

    Coconut bake and fried flying fish–also bake with butter and bake with salt fish or smoked herring–what a beautifull breakfast !!!!

  15. Chris on March 10th, 2008 10:48 pm | link

    Welcome back!!!!!!! (I have been sporadic as well with my blogging.) Another recipe I have never had and would love to try. Looks wonderful.

  16. Nicole on March 15th, 2008 5:10 pm | link

    Sarina: St Joseph’s convent. But maybe the ice water thing was part of the Home EC syllabus!

  17. Keva on March 22nd, 2008 2:47 pm | link

    This is my first time visiting your site and what do I see, coconut bake or dumb bread as we call it back home! :-) Look yummy!

  18. Mel on March 24th, 2008 1:21 pm | link

    Welcome back. Looking forward to see what the weeks will bring as far as recipes go. Good Luck with Avon

  19. India on April 5th, 2008 2:25 am | link

    Hi Everyone - I came across this blog about 3 days ago and have been hooked since! Sarina, you post some REALLY good AUTHENTIC Trinidadian recipes…brings me back to my childhood when we would all go by my Aunt Gwen’s house every Sunday and have a FEAST!! I made the Chicken Chow Mein earlier today and just had a bowl of porridge…2 in one day, hehee, I know that’s being greedy but gosh nah, yuh only live once yuh know!!:) They both came out DELICIOUS. Thank you and please keep doing what you’re doing!

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