Coconut and Cinnamon Buns
This is a cross between my favourite Samoan dessert (Pani Popo) and cinnamon rolls. Pani Popo (Coconut Buns) are are lot softer as they are baked with the coconut cream liquid. I prefer this way as you still get the crip of the bun and the same coconut taste in the icing.
DOUGH
375ml milk
80g caster sugar
2¼ tspdried yeast
750g high-grade flour, plus extra for kneading
½ tsp salt
3 eggs
190g butter, melted
FILLING
170g butter, softened
⅔ cup soft brown sugar
2 tsp cinnamon + 1/2 cup desiccated coconut + 1/2 cup chocolate chips
CREAM CHEESE ICING
50g butter
125s cream cheese, softened
1 + ½ cup icing sugar
½ tsp ground cinnamon
1 tsp vanilla extract
1/2 cup coconut cream
TO SERVE
40 grams Toasted coconut threads
METHOD
DOUGH: Heat the milk in a small saucepan until warm but not yet simmering. Mix in the caster sugar and yeast. Leave for 15min. In a large bowl combine the flour and salt. Add the yeast mixture, eggs and melted butter to the flour and mix until well combined. Dump the dough onto a lightly floured surface and knead by hand for 10 minutes.
Place the dough in a large bowl, cover and set aside in a warm spot for 1½ hours or until doubled in size.
FILLING: Mix all ingredients . On a floured bench, roll the dough into a rectangle approximately 60cm x 40cm.
Using a palette knife or spatula, smear the cinnamon filling over the dough, making sure to go right to the edges. more desiccated coconut and chocolate chips.
Roll into a neat log. Cut the log into 12 even rolls and neatly arrange in the brownie tin.
Cover and set aside for 40 minutes, or until risen to almost double their size.
Preheat the oven to 180°C and bake for 35-40 minutes, or until golden and cooked through. Let cool.
CREAM CHEESE ICING: Melt the butter in a small saucepan over a medium heat and remove from pan as soon as butter begins to brown.
Place in a large bowl with the softened cream cheese, beat until smooth. Add the icing sugar, cinnamon, vanilla and coconut milk and mix.
Smear the icing over the cooled rolls and top with toasted coconut to serve. Makes 12 large rolls.
