When it comes to sweets, one flavor I cannot resist is golden, nutty toasted coconut, so when I spotted a jar of toasted coconut sugar for sale at a local shop, I knew I had to experiment with making my own. Stored in a pretty jar, it looks special, yet the two-ingredient recipe is a snap to make.
Spice Station in Los Angeles inspired this mixture of fragrant toasted coconut and sparkling sugar. The coconut flavor is subtle, so the sugar pairs best with ingredients that are not strongly flavored. Use it as you might use cinnamon-sugar: dip sugar cookies in it before baking, sprinkle it onto buttered toast, or mix it into oatmeal.
How would you use toasted coconut sugar?
1 cup shredded unsweetened coconut
1 cup granulated sugar
Preheat the oven to 325°F. Spread the coconut onto a rimmed baking sheet. Bake until golden-brown, about 6-8 minutes, stirring every 2 minutes. Let cool completely.
Place coconut and sugar in a food processor. Pulse until the coconut is finely ground, about 1 minute. Spread onto a baking sheet and let sit at room temperature until dry, about 1 hour. Store in a jar or other airtight container.
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(Image: Anjali Prasertong)
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You also get coconut sugar as a by-product of making coconut crack.
Buy a fresh coconut, drain the water and crack it open (not as hard as it looks, I just tap them on my concrete patio until they crack). Remove the meat, peel the brown skin off it, and slice the meat into thin strips (no more than 1/8th inch thick, a mandoline works great for this).
In a large pot combine 1 cup sugar (organic or raw works best) and 1/4 cup water. Heat on medium and stir until the sugar dissolves. Add the coconut and keep stirring over medium heat until the water evaporates and the sugar crystallizes. Transfer to a baking sheet and toast at 325° until golden brown.
The sugar that doesn't stick to the coconut will turn into golden flakes. I like to use it in my chai latte or hot chocolate. Okay, it's not as easy as the recipe above but you get delicious strips of sweet, toasted coconut too. We first bought this stuff at a fruit stand in Maui and they charged $5 for about 1/4 of a coconut worth.
I love this idea, but what would you use the sugar in?
I would roll chocolate cookies in it before baking. Yum!
Katlian, that sounds amazing! I will totally be trying your recipe when I get a chance.