Pani Popo Samoan Coconut Buns
An Original Recipe by Lorraine Elliott
Preparation time: 25 minutes plus 1 hour 40 minutes rising time
Cooking time: 45 minutes
Serves: 12 generously sized buns
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480g/17ozs. bread flour plus extra for rolling
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1/2 cup/125ml/4flozs. water
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3/4 cup/187mls/6.3flozs milk
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85g/3ozs. sugar
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1 teaspoon salt
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1 egg
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1 tablespoon instant dried yeast
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60g/2ozs. butter, cubed, room temperature
For topping
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285ml/9.6flozs. coconut cream
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1/2 cup/125g/4ozs. white sugar
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1.5 tablespoons cornflour/fine cornstarch
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Pinch of salt
Step 1 - Take 20g/0.7ozs. of the total flour weight and mix with 1/2 cup of water. Heat gently on medium heat until it reaches 65C/149F. Then whisk in the milk, sugar, salt and egg and mix until combined. Then add the rest of the flour and the yeast and knead for 5 minutes. Add in the cubes of butter and knead until elastic and you get the window pane effect where you can pull apart the dough a couple of inches without it breaking (use floured hands). This may take 10-15 minutes of kneading using a machine (longer by hand, around 25 minutes or so). It can be a slightly sticky dough so add a little flour to make it easy to handle but try not to add too much flour. It is better to grease you hands with some oil to handle the dough.
Step 2 - Shape the dough into a ball with no creases on the top and place in a large, greased bowl and cover and allow to rise for 1 hour. While it is rising make the coconut cream topping so that it has time to cool. Place the coconut cream, sugar, cornflour and salt in a saucepan and heat to medium heat stirring so that it thickens gradually. It will take about 8-0 minutes. Cool.
Step 3 - Spray a large 23x33cms/9x13inch baking dish with oil. Punch down the dough and then shape into 12 evenly shaped buns making sure that there are no cracks on the top (keep kneading them and the cracks will eventually disappear). Place in the baking dish and cover and allow to rise for 35-45 minutes. Preheat oven to 180C/350F. Once the buns have had their second rise pour the coconut syrup over the buns and bake for 35-40 minutes. The buns will look quite light in the oven but then darken once they cool off. Serve immediately - try one of these warm from the oven and you'll be in coconut heaven!