Coconut Bakes (Johnny Bakes)
Soft, lightly golden coconut bakes made with coconut milk and fresh coconut pulp. Simple, comforting, and rooted in tradition — this is the everyday island bread many of us grew up with, meant to be enjoyed warm and shared.
Ingredients
- 1 ⅓ cups 165g all-purpose flour
- 1 tsp 4g baking powder
- ¼ tsp salt
- 1 tbsp 12g granulated sugar optional
- 2 tbsp 28g cold unsalted butter, cubed
- 1 tbsp 12g vegetable shortening, cold
- ½ cup 120 g / 120ml coconut milk fresh preferred
- ¼ cup 30g coconut pulp finely squeezed, not wet
- Optional: 1–2 tbsp 15-30g coconut milk only if needed
Instructions
- Preheat the oven to 375°F (190°C). Line a baking sheet with parchment or lightly grease.
- Mix dry ingredients: In a large bowl, whisk flour, baking powder, salt, and sugar (if using).
- Cut in fats: Add cold butter and shortening. Rub into flour until the mixture looks like coarse crumbs with small butter bits.
- Add coconut pulp: Stir in the coconut pulp, breaking it up evenly through the flour mixture.
- Add coconut milk: Pour in coconut milk and gently mix just until a soft dough forms.
- Dough should be soft and slightly tacky, not wet.
- Rest the dough: Cover and let rest for 10 minutes to hydrate the flour and soften the pulp.
- Shape: Place on a prepared baking sheet. Pat to ¾–1 inch thick. Cut into rounds or shape into rustic discs.
- Prick dough with a fork.
- Bake: Bake for 20-25 minutes, until lightly golden and set.
- Cool slightly before serving.
Notes
- Coconut pulp must be well-squeezed. Too much moisture will make the bakes heavy.
- The butter + shortening blend keeps the bakes soft
- These are bread-style bakes, not sweet or cakey
How to Make Coconut Pulp (From Scratch)
To make coconut pulp at home:- Crack open a mature coconut and remove the white flesh.
- Grate the coconut finely using a box grater or food processor.
- Place grated coconut in a clean cloth or sieve and squeeze firmly to extract the coconut milk.
- The remaining coconut is the pulp. Use it well-squeezed, not wet.
