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Coconut Crescents

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  • Prep 1 hr 15 min
  • Total 1 hr 25 min
  • Ingredients 12
  • Servings 16
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For many years I dreamed of having my own bakery, but I discarded the very thought almost immediately when I realized that, besides the appeal of having a business, I really wanted a panadería so I could eat bread all the time. As you can imagine, that wasn’t a very healthy idea for me. I did, however, learn how to make homemade bread, an activity I really enjoy. I love when the smell of fresh bread fills my home, and when I can share what I just made with cups of coffee or glasses of milk, cheeses, marmalades, butter, etc. One of my favorite times in culinary school was when I took a baking class. It was the middle of winter and we spent the mornings making all kinds of homemade and more sophisticated breads that we later devoured by the ton while we waited for the next batch of breads to come out of the oven. That’s how we realized the infinite variety of baguettes, piadinas, pitas, colizas, pan de molde, ciabattas, brioche, croissants, etc. that there are. Later I learned how to make a variety of fine breads while I did my internship in the bakery of one of Lima’s most expensive hotels. The baker teaching me had never had an intern, so he taught me many bread recipes, and these coconut crescents are a kind of easy, homemade bread that we used to prepare for breakfast. Homemade breads aren’t hard to make, but they require methodology and patience. Above all, you should be aware that, since breads made at home don’t include some of the ingredients commonly used in industrial bakeries, they don’t stay fresh as long, nor is the bread as soft. But don’t let that discourage you from getting to work. There’s nothing like a loaf of bread made with your own hands.
by Morena Cuadra
Updated Feb 7, 2024
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Ingredients

For the dough:

  • 1/3 cup melted butter
  • 3/4 cup warm milk
  • 1 tablespoon active dry yeast
  • 1 1/2 tablespoon sugar
  • 1/4 teaspoon salt
  • 1 egg, slightly beaten
  • 2 1/4 cups Gold Medal™ All Purpose Flour
  • 1 teaspoon ground cinnamon

For the coconut filling:

  • 3 tablespoons butter
  • 1/2 cup finely shredded, sweetened coconut
  • 1 tablespoon sugar

For the egg wash:

  • 1 slightly beaten egg

Directions

  •  
    1
    Preheat the oven to 450°F.
  •  
    2
    For the dough: In the bowl of a stand mixer, combine the butter and milk. Add the yeast, sugar and salt, stirring well. Cover mix with a dry cloth and let rest for 5 minutes or until the yeast rises.
  •  
    3
    Incorporate the egg, 2 cups of the flour and cinnamon.
  •  
    4
    You may knead the dough with the mixer for 10 minutes, using the dough hook attachment, until the dough has a smooth and elastic texture. Or you can knead the dough by hand, which will help you burn off steam from the day along with a few calories. When the dough is ready, sprinkle with some of the remaining 1/4 cup of flour, cover with a cloth and let dough rest in a warm place for about 30 minutes.
  •  
    5
    For the coconut filling: Combine all filling ingredients until they’re fully incorporated.
  •  
    6
    Put the dough back on a floured surface and gently knead for a few minutes. Cut the dough in half and stretch to form 2 disks, the size of large plates. Cut in 8 portions (as if you were cutting a cake), and put a teaspoon of the coconut filling on widest end of the dough triangles.
  •  
    7
    Roll up the dough, starting at the widest end, as if you were making croissants. Arrange the crescents on a baking sheet lined with wax paper and cover with a dry cloth to let them rise for 30 minutes.
  •  
    8
    Brush the remaining pancitos (little breads) with the egg wash and bake for 10 minutes or until golden brown. Remove from the oven, let cool for a moment on a rack and serve warm.
  •  
    9
    These breads are rico when eaten the same day you make them. If there are any leftovers, warm them in the oven before serving.

Expert Tips

  • tip 1
    Instead of using a coconut mix, use almond or pecan paste for filling.
  • tip 2
    Use pineapple marmalade instead of coconut.
  • tip 3
    If you’d like, you may sprinkle the dough with poppy seeds after coating with the egg wash.

Nutrition Information

No nutrition information available for this recipe

More About This Recipe

  • For many years I dreamed of having my own bakery, but I discarded the very thought almost immediately when I realized that, besides the appeal of having a business, I really wanted a panadería so I could eat bread all the time. As you can imagine, that wasn’t a very healthy idea for me. I did, however, learn how to make homemade bread, an activity I really enjoy. I love when the smell of fresh bread fills my home, and when I can share what I just made with cups of coffee or glasses of milk, cheeses, marmalades, butter, etc. One of my favorite times in culinary school was when I took a baking class. It was the middle of winter and we spent the mornings making all kinds of homemade and more sophisticated breads that we later devoured by the ton while we waited for the next batch of breads to come out of the oven. That’s how we realized the infinite variety of baguettes, piadinas, pitas, colizas, pan de molde, ciabattas, brioche, croissants, etc. that there are. Later I learned how to make a variety of fine breads while I did my internship in the bakery of one of Lima’s most expensive hotels. The baker teaching me had never had an intern, so he taught me many bread recipes, and these coconut crescents are a kind of easy, homemade bread that we used to prepare for breakfast. Homemade breads aren’t hard to make, but they require methodology and patience. Above all, you should be aware that, since breads made at home don’t include some of the ingredients commonly used in industrial bakeries, they don’t stay fresh as long, nor is the bread as soft. But don’t let that discourage you from getting to work. There’s nothing like a loaf of bread made with your own hands.
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