After making Pandan Madeleines with grated coconut, we have some extra gula melaka coconut. My mama introduced coconut buns to me when I was very young. I didn’t like it as much when I was a kid but it has grown on me in my teenage years. Whenever I eat a nice coconut bun, I would share with her over the phone.

Hope I could meet my parents soon and make my them their favorite buns. Missing them so much. 

I googled for coconut buns recipe as I wanted to try another bread dough recipe. I found @sonianll ‘s post on coconut buns with tangzhong method and decided to to give this a try. We are pleasantly surprised by the bread! So soft and taste really delicious. My husband commented that it taste just like bread that we bought from bakery

My leftover gula melaka coconut was only enough for 10 buns (250g) so I shaped the rest of the dough for sausage buns and biscoff spread wool bread. Biscoff spread was a failure  maybe I didn’t seal it tightly and almost all the spread leaked out.

Well! This recipe is definitely a keeper! So I’m going to document down here for easy reference.

Tangzhong dough:

• 45g bread flour
• 225ml water

Whisk the bread flour and the water together in a heat proof saucepan. Heat the mixture at low heat till it thickens and ribbons stage.

Main Dough:

• 1 Tangzhong dough
• 400g bread flour
• 100g all purpose flour
• 1 large egg (I used 60g with shell)
• 80g caster sugar
• 2tsp instant active yeast + 2tbsp lukewarm water
• 60ml plant-based milk (I used @sanitarium unsweetened almond milk)
• 60g vegan butter (I used @plantbased_nuttelex)
• 1/2 tsp of salt

Steps:

1. Knead everything together except for the butter and salt. Knead till the dough is no sticky. Add in the butter and salt, continue to knead till it passes the windowpane test. Takes about 15 to 20 minutes on stand mixer.

2. Let the dough proof covered till double in volume (I left mine in the oven which is switched off). Punch out the air and divide into 20 equal portions (50g each). Roll round and let rest for 10 minutes before shaping.

3. Lined the baking tin/pan with parchment paper and preheat the oven to 180C.

4. Flatten the dough and fill it with coconut filling (30g) or shape it as desired. Place all finished buns on lined baking tin/pan, and let rise for 30mins.

5. Brush the top with egg wash. Then bake in the oven for 25-30mins or until golden brown.

6. Once baked, remove from oven and remove from the pan and let cool completely before serving.