Pan De Coco

Pan De Coco is a pastry for people with a sweet tooth, and it is a soft, fluffy bread. Pan De Coco has a rich, delicious coconut flavor. Best of all, it’s effortless to make and only requires a few simple ingredients.

If you love coconut, you’re going to adore this Filipino pan de Coco recipe. When I was a child, I remember waiting for our afternoon snack to taste the freshly baked coconut bread and our favorite chocolate drink or warm milk. I finished the bread first and took all the leftover filling with our wooden spoon. Growing up, I learned to do the recipe, and now I’d like to share it with you.

What is Pan De Coco?

Pan de Coco is a sweet bread filled with sweetened coconut flakes. It is trendy in the Philippines, and bakeries often sell it under names like “Coconut Delight” “Coco Bread.” Commonly served as breakfast alongside brewed coffee, hot chocolate, or tea. Today, bakeries often make another batch of pan de coco snacks since bread is also a famous merienda in the Philippines.

The name of this sweet bread originated from having come from the Spanish word for bread, which is “pan,” and the term “de coco,” meaning “from coconut.” The Philippines has a long history of being colonized by Spain during the 16th century, so it makes sense that Spanish words like this would influence terms like pan de coco. It resembles iterations of Honduran’s version, but it’s pretty different.

Honduran vs. Filipino

Honduran coast is the home of delicious pan de coco, similar to Filipino servings. However, the Honduran Pan De Coco uses coconut milk to make the dough, and it incorporates the desiccated coconut as part of the mixture. On the other hand, the Filipino Pan De Coco starts with a dry yeast mixture and uses freshly grated coconut for the filling, preparing them separately and then baking them together.

The taste differs slightly as well. Filipino Pan De Coco tends to be a little moister and sweeter than its Honduran counterpart, which is usually because of coconut milk in the recipe. Nevertheless, you can adjust the taste depending on your preferences or if the recipe calls it.

Before baking our Filipino Pan De coco, let’s go over some Frequently Asked Questions (FAQ) to help our fellow bakers achieve this delicious treat.

Should I apply egg wash on the bread before adding the coconut filling?

Definitely! It’s best to do it before adding the coconut filling since it will create a golden-brown crust on top of your bread when baked!

You can make your bread special by spreading some cheese on top and melting it in the oven if that’s what you prefer. After baking, you can also apply butter or margarine on top of the bread for a more tasteful finish.

What type of flour should I use?

Bread flour is made from hard wheat and has a higher protein to starch ratio. Because of its high gluten content, bread flour can absorb more water than other flour types, making it perfect for baking coconut buns. The term “bread” in the name eliminates any confusion about its purpose as this type of flour is ideal for baking bread and other types of pastry such as cookies and cakes.

On the other hand, whole wheat flour is made from 100% of whole wheat with lower gluten to starch ratio than bread flour. But using this could result in a dense bread with an undesirable texture because it contains the bran and is high in fat, breaking down the gluten strands. It also has a lower protein content compared to white flour.

So for this pan de coco recipe, I decided to use the all-purpose flour since it’s readily available and it’s already made from only white flour, shortening, sugar, and salt, resulting in a bouncier dough fluffier baked bread.

Instant dry yeast vs. Active dry yeast

Instant dry yeast is more readily available and can be added directly to the dry ingredients. Still, active dry yeast needs to be hydrated in lukewarm water for five minutes before use, and you also have to dissolve it until you get a bubbly mixture before adding it to the wet ingredients.

I like to use instant dry yeast since it’s easier and less time-consuming.

Ingredients:

Pan De Coco Filling

• 1/4 cup salted butter

• 1/4 cup sweetened condensed milk

• 1/2 cup brown sugar

• 2 cups grated coconut meat

Pan De Coco Dough: Coconut Bread

• 1 cup milk

• one large egg

• 2 1/4 teaspoons dry yeast

• 3 1/4 cups all-purpose flour

• one teaspoon salt

• 1/4 cup softened butter

Egg Wash

• one large egg yolk

• two tablespoons milk

How to Make the Sweetened Coconut Filling for Pan De Coco?

1) Melt 1/4 cup of butter in a small pan

2) Add 1/4 cup of sweetened condensed milk

3) Add 1/2 cup of brown sugar and mix until dissolved.

4) Add the shredded coconut meat and mix until coated. Please turn off the heat and set it aside.

How to Make Pan De Coco Dough?

1) Place 1 cup milk, egg, sugar, and instant yeast in a large bowl. Mix until ingredients dissolve.

2) Add flour. Mix it well until a dough forms. Cover and let it rest for twenty minutes.

3) Add the 1/4 cup softened butter. Knead until the dough is smooth. If you are kneading by hand, this usually takes about 15 minutes. If you are using a stand mixer, this process takes seven minutes.

4) Form the dough into a ball and place it in an oiled bowl. Cover the bowl and let the dough rise for one hour.

5) When the filled dough has doubled its size, punch and remove the air—transfer dough to a flat and lightly floured surface. Divide equally into sixteen pieces.

6) Form the pieces into a ball and cover for ten minutes.

7) Flatten the dough using a rolling pin and fill. Pinch the edge to seal. Place the filled dough into a baking pan with the closed face down. Flatten the dough gently using your hand and poke each dough with a fork.

8) Cover and let the filled dough rest for forty-five minutes.

9) When ready, mix the egg wash ingredient and brush it onto the dough.

10) Preheat oven at 350 F and bake the dough in a preheated oven for twenty to twenty-five minutes or until golden brown.

Pan De Coco Baking Tips

This recipe should be easy with all the ingredients and instructions mentioned above. But here are a few things you should consider when baking our unique Pan De Coco:

1. Prepare your filling or topping as soon as you start mixing your dough because once yeast is activated, use it immediately, or else it will lose its properties.

3. The amount of warm water needed for the bread dough may vary depending on your water temperature and other factors. So when in doubt, keep an eye out for the color of your bread while kneading to know if you need to add more flour or not.

4. Make sure that all ingredients are at room temperature before mixing them to combine evenly and achieve a smoother consistency.

5. Don’t add the coconut filling too early because it will make your bread soggy, affecting the overall texture of your Pan De Coco.

6. Prepare each ingredient in a small bowl and clean all your baking tools before using them. Have the essentials such as a kitchen towel, baking tray, measuring cup, rolling pin, stand mixer, parchment paper, and cooling rack at the ready before you start cooking.

Other Filipino Snack Cuisine

Pandesal – Filipino Bread

This simple yeast-based sweet bread is best served fresh from the oven. Pandesal is a famous breakfast which becomes special with an egg, a spread of butter, margarine or even cheese! It is also commonly served with a cup of hot coffee or chocolate.

Pan De Regla – Menstrual Bread

Pan de Regla is another one of Filipino’s famous pastries. The name came from Pan De Regla or Menstrual Bread because it’s a roll filled with a red pudding which makes it look like a feminine pad. It tastes sweet because the red pudding consists of eggs, milk, butter, and vanilla. Pan De Regla is also often called Lipstick about the red filling and Kalihim, which relates to “a secret” because it will give women who ate this roll a secret pregnancy.

So there you go; I hope you can try baking your own Pan De Coco recipe at home and creating the perfect bread every time.

I love baking just because it’s a fun and delicious experience that will have you coming back for more, and it is worth all the effort. The Pan De Coco recipe we’ve shared with you is easy to follow and will result in a soft, fluffy, and decadent bread roll. The smell of freshly baked bread will be sure to melt in your mouth and have you craving for more! Be sure to enjoy it while it’s still warm!

There are several kinds of bread in the Philippines which we like.

Below are some of the list.

• How to Make Spanish Bread
• How to Make Pandesal Ube with Cheese Filling
• How to Make the Best Pandesal with Step By Step Video
• List of Filipino Desserts

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