Chocolate Coconut Cream Buns

Ingredients

• 450 g All-purpose or bread flour (Use all-purpose flour or bread flour.)
• 50 g Unsweetened cocoa powder
• 150 g Warm milk (Warm)
• 150 g Full-fat coconut milk (For the dough)
• 75 g Granulated sugar
• 7 g Instant yeast
• 8 g Salt
• 30 g Butter (Softened; for the dough)
• 50 g Egg (1 large egg)
• 200 g Full-fat coconut milk (For the coconut cream topping (¾ cup + 2 tbsp))
• 120 g Sweetened condensed milk
• 30 g Butter (For the coconut cream)
• 0.5 tsp Vanilla extract
• 0.5 tsp Coconut extract (Optional)
• 45 g Sweetened shredded coconut (Optional; source gives 40–50 g (½–⅔ cup).)

Steps

1. 1

   Combine the warm milk, coconut milk for the dough, sugar, and instant yeast in a bowl. Let the mixture sit for 5 minutes.

2. 2

   Add the egg and softened butter to the yeast mixture.

3. 3

   In a separate bowl, whisk together the flour, cocoa powder, and salt.

4. 4

   Gradually add the dry ingredients to the wet mixture, combining as you go.

5. 5

   Knead the dough for 8–10 minutes, until smooth, elastic, and slightly tacky. Add a little extra milk if it feels too dry; the amount is not specified.

6. 6

   Place the dough in a lightly greased bowl, cover it, and let rise for 1–1½ hours, or until doubled in size.

7. 7

   Divide the dough into 6 equal pieces, approximately 153 g each. Roll each piece into a long rope, then braid or twist each as desired.

8. 8

   Line a baking dish with parchment paper and arrange the shaped buns inside.

9. 9

   Cover the buns and let them rise for 30–45 minutes, or until puffy.

10. 10

    Preheat the oven to 350°F (175°C).

11. 11

    Bake the buns for approximately 25–35 minutes, until the center buns are fully baked. If the tops brown too quickly, loosely cover them with foil.

12. 12

    While the buns bake, gently heat the topping coconut milk and sweetened condensed milk in a saucepan over low heat. Stir until smooth and warmed through; do not let the mixture boil.

13. 13

    Remove the coconut mixture from the heat and stir in the butter, vanilla extract, and coconut extract if using.

14. 14

    Let the baked buns cool for 5–10 minutes.

15. 15

    Generously pour the warm coconut cream over the buns. Sprinkle with shredded coconut if desired, then serve warm.

Notes

Extra milk may be added if the dough feels too dry, but the recipe gives no amount. The recipe allows either all-purpose or bread flour and says the coconut extract and shredded coconut are optional. Shredded coconut is given as a range of 40–50 g (½–⅔ cup); 45 g is used here as a midpoint. The comments give no specific baking-dish size.

Nutrition per serving

• dessert
• sweet bread
• baked
• chocolate
• coconut
• vegetarian