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Coconut Bake (recipe)

2 March 2008 9,774 views 40 Comments

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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40 Comments »

  • Khary said:

    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 March 2008 at 4:19 pm | link
  • Cynthia said:

    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.

    # 2 March 2008 at 7:03 pm | link
  • Chennette said:

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

    # 2 March 2008 at 10:43 pm | link
  • Sarina (author) said:

    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

    # 3 March 2008 at 12:18 am | link
  • Nandita said:

    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!

    # 3 March 2008 at 2:26 am | link
  • Sarina (author) said:

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

    # 3 March 2008 at 3:24 am | link
  • Nicole said:

    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.

    # 3 March 2008 at 12:12 pm | link
  • Sarina (author) said:

    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 … :)

    # 3 March 2008 at 5:54 pm | link
  • Chennette said:

    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.

    # 4 March 2008 at 12:16 am | link
  • Josh Lane said:

    Sarina! We’ve missed you!!!

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

    :-D

    # 4 March 2008 at 1:21 am | link
  • Marsha said:

    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! :)

    # 4 March 2008 at 12:23 pm | link
  • Lisa said:

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

    # 4 March 2008 at 3:54 pm | link
  • jeena said:

    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

    # 5 March 2008 at 9:17 am | link
  • Melanie said:

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

    # 8 March 2008 at 1:10 pm | link
  • Chris said:

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

    # 10 March 2008 at 10:48 pm | link
  • Nicole said:

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

    # 15 March 2008 at 5:10 pm | link
  • Keva said:

    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!

    # 22 March 2008 at 2:47 pm | link
  • Mel said:

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

    # 24 March 2008 at 1:21 pm | link
  • India said:

    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!

    # 5 April 2008 at 2:25 am | link
  • Shevonne said:

    Sarina!!! I’m so glad you posted this! This takes me back…way way back. I remember my aunt kneeding the dough and myself wondering why did she put that towel over the bowl and just leave it so..lolz. My daughter and I will try this recipe in as soon as I find a suitable chicken recipe for dinner tonight..

    # 31 May 2008 at 8:23 am | link
  • Mishimee said:

    This is the best bake I have ever made. Thanks for this recipe

    # 6 June 2008 at 9:37 am | link
  • Racquel said:

    Your recipe looks awesome! One question though….the method is written as though one bake is being made, however in the photos, there are TWO….were you doubling the recipe or should we be splitting it into two?

    # 18 October 2008 at 6:35 pm | link
  • Sarina (author) said:

    Racquel – I had doubled the recipe, sorry for the confusion :)

    # 18 October 2008 at 7:02 pm | link
  • Racquel said:

    lol – no problem…..so the measurements you included are for ONE BAKE (for example, 2 cups of flour)

    (4 cups would be for TWO BAKES)

    Am I thinking on the right track?

    # 18 October 2008 at 7:46 pm | link
  • Sarina (author) said:

    Racquel – yes, that it’s :) I had made 2 that day cos I was having guests :)

    # 18 October 2008 at 11:14 pm | link
  • Racquel said:

    one ounce of butter? is that one tablespoon?

    # 19 October 2008 at 8:41 am | link
  • sharon singh said:

    Hi i live in new york and have tried a lot of your recipe and told a lot of people about your website. the cold water i used for the bake was wonderful, it was so soft and fluffy everyone loved it. thanks.

    # 19 January 2009 at 6:26 pm | link
  • Sarina (author) said:

    Racquel – it’s a well-rounded tablespoon :)

    Sharon – thank you so much! I’m so glad everyone loved it, cold water really is the key :)

    # 19 January 2009 at 8:00 pm | link
  • Myra said:

    Coconut bake makes me think of some good coco tea. Not that hot chocolate in the packet, but coco tea from the coco stick. Like how my granny or my mother does make hers.

    # 22 January 2009 at 2:39 pm | link
  • elizabeth said:

    First time visitor. Really wanted a good coconut bake recipe and will try it today.

    Thanks

    # 2 February 2009 at 10:35 am | link
  • Cham said:

    Hi Sarina,
    Thanks for the wonderful recipe. I made this coconut bake and came out excellent. I enjoyed surfing ur site!

    Cham’s last blog post..Gingery Sweet potato soup

    # 6 March 2009 at 3:58 pm | link
  • Jennifer said:

    I would very much like to try your recipe for coconut bake but I like a soft dough for my bakes. Would the ice water not make it firmer?

    # 7 March 2009 at 5:59 pm | link
  • Tamika said:

    Hi Sarina,

    I just stumbled on your site and was thrilled to see all the recipes for some of my favorite trini dishes. Anyway, I just made coconut bake for the first time thanks to your recipe. It came out really good and tasty. Thanks again

    Tamika

    # 30 May 2009 at 8:49 pm | link
  • Sarran said:

    Hi:
    Should yeast be included in this recipe?
    Thanks
    Sarran

    # 29 July 2009 at 8:49 pm | link
  • Sarina (author) said:

    Hi Sarran, yeast is not necessary no :)

    # 10 August 2009 at 1:14 pm | link
  • “coconut bake” « Coconut Sweet Bread said:

    [...] Comment! Recipe for coconut bake at trinigourmet [...]

    # 20 September 2009 at 1:29 pm | link
  • Vanessa said:

    Sarina,

    Thanks so much for that cold water tip. I made some bake this weekend for my husband and his friend who came over to do some work on the house. Well it all started because my husband made some green fig and saltfish buljol and I said boy don’t eat all the buljol it would go nice with a coconut bake…. well girl we were all licking our fingers after eating that bake and buljol.

    Thanks Again

    # 16 November 2009 at 5:24 pm | link
  • Sarina (author) said:

    I’m so glad it came out well for you and your husband :) Thanks for sharing :)

    # 17 November 2009 at 11:49 am | link
  • Elizabeth said:

    Hi:

    My best memories of coconut bake was my father(an widower)trying to make is four children happy in the morning by cooking the best bake I have ever had. I wish I was able to get a recipe. Thank you for this recipe and I will give is a try.

    Elizabeth

    # 29 January 2010 at 11:58 am | link
  • Ria Clarke said:

    Did you really mean just 1 ounce of margarine? I've been putting about 4 oz in my regular bake. Hmmm, no wonder my cheeks have gotten so rosy….

    # 5 March 2010 at 2:02 am | link

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