Wander Rona

When I was a kid, I was not a fan of bread, but now that I am living abroad, I am finding ways to cook the delicacies of the Philippines. In short, I am missing the food that I’ve taken for granted. (Charot) But anyway, I’ve tried baking pan de coco, and I want to share the recipe. 

Pan de Coco is one of the many pieces of bread you can find every day in different bakeries in the Philippines. They are usually cost 1-2 pesos before, but now I do not know. The bread is filled with sweetened coconut. Coconut is one of the Philippines’ top produce products. 

Pan De Coco 

Ingredients: 

Dough: 

3 1/2 cups all-purpose flour 

3/4 cups warm water (preferably 100 – 110 degrees Fahrenheit) 

2 1/4 Active Dry Yeast 

2 eggs

1 tsp salt 

1/4 cup white sugar

1/4 cup butter or margarine (must be at room temperature) 

For Filling: 

1 1/2 Desiccated Coconut 

1/2 cup brown sugar

1/2 cup coconut milk 

1 tsp vanilla

1/4 cup water 

1-2 tsp of cornstarch

Egg Wash: 

1 Egg 

3 tablespoon milk 

Instructions: 

1. Put 1 teaspoon of sugar to warm water, mix it, and add yeast. Wait until the yeast begins to have foam. 
2. While waiting for the yeast to have foam, mix the flour, sugar, and salt in another bowl. Mix the three dry ingredients thoroughly. 
3. Then put in the wet ingredients, the water with yeast, slightly beaten egg, and the butter. Using a stand mixer, use the dough hook to mix the dry and wet ingredients. In this recipe, I am setting it in 4 for 5-8 minutes or until the ingredients are well mixed or the dough is formed. 
4. Then cover it with cling wrap and let it rise for 1 hour to 1 1/2 hours; it depends on the room temperature. 

Make the filling while waiting for the dough to rise or double in size. 

1. Pour the coconut milk into the pan over medium heat. 
2. Add the brown sugar and mix it until the sugar is dissolved. 
3. Dissolve the cornstarch in the water. 
4. Wait for the sugar and coconut mixture to simmer, then add the water mixture. 
5. Wait for it to simmer again, then add the vanilla. 
6. After adding the vanilla, add the desiccated coconut. Cook until the liquid is dissolved. 
7. Remove from the heat and let it completely cool down. 

Punch it down when the dough has risen and transfer it to a flat, lightly floured surface. Divide the dough into pcs that weigh 50 grams and turn it into a ball. 

Flatten the ball, and make sure the middle is thick compared to the sides. Put a 1 1/2 – 2 tablespoon filling, then pinch the edges into the center to close the bread. Repeat the same thing until the last pc. 

Place the bread on a baking pan with lined parchment paper or a reusable baking sheet. Put cling wrap on the pan and let it rise for 30 minutes to one hour at room temperature. 

While waiting for it to rise, preheat the oven to 180 degrees Celcius or 360 degrees Fahrenheit. 

Before putting it in the oven, brush the top of the bread with egg wash 

Then bake it for 15 minutes until golden brown