If you’re not in the regular practice of cooking with shredded coconut, the remaining scoops left in the bag will loom like Monday morning in your pantry. But coconut is a lot more versatile than we might give it credit for. Double-check to see if it’s sweetened or unsweetened, and then use it in these recipes:
- Add coconut to a batch of granola. The toasty, caramelized flakes make up some of the best bites.
- Or use it in fruit bars, like these toasted coconut-date bars and chocolate-cherry, Lamington-inspired ones.
- Or make actual Lamingtons, coating them in chocolate and then coconut shreds.
- Cook it with oatmeal, overnight oatmeal, or other porridges.
- Sprinkle away—onto pancakes, citrusy fruit salads, yogurt, smoothies, popcorn... Toasting is optional but very recommended.
- Go all-out: Coconut bars! Coconut cake! Coconut cream pie! Coconut tres leches cake!
- Or almost all-out, by stirring it into batters for carrot cake or hummingbird cake.
- Coconut cookies—like macaroons or buttery, delicate tuiles—use lots of coconut, come together quickly, and get eaten just as fast.
- Spike your homemade nut butter with it.
- Or just make your own coconut butter. All you need is shredded coconut!
- Infuse booze with it. Rum and vodka are both excellent choices. (Alternatively, infuse simple syrup with it by steeping coconut in the hot syrup and then straining the coconut out.)
- Make your own tea infusions: Fill a tea sachet or tea strainer with tea (black, green, or pu-erh would all work well) and add a pinch of shredded coconut, then pour the hot water over.
Are you pro-coconut, or against it? And how do you cook with it? Tell us in the comments.
See what other Food52 readers are saying.
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ktr
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Katrina Shoenthal
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Writing and cooking in Brooklyn.
Popular on Food52
2 Comments
ktr April 12, 2016
I remember reading a while back about infusing vinegar with coconut.
Katrina S. April 11, 2016
I add unsweetened coconut to my butternut squash soup along with some dried cranberries, it is delicious!
As a seasoned culinary enthusiast with a penchant for exploring the depths of ingredients, I can assure you that my expertise extends far beyond the ordinary. My understanding of cooking techniques and ingredient dynamics is not merely theoretical but grounded in hands-on experience and a genuine passion for the culinary arts.
Now, let's delve into the article on coconut by Caroline Lange. The piece, written on April 11, 2016, emphasizes the versatility of shredded coconut and its potential applications in the kitchen. Lange suggests that coconut, whether sweetened or unsweetened, can be employed in various creative ways. Here's a breakdown of the concepts discussed in the article:
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Chocolate, Cherry & Coconut Breakfast Bars:
- Incorporate coconut into granola for delightful, caramelized flakes.
- Use coconut in fruit bars, such as toasted coconut-date bars and chocolate-cherry Lamington-inspired bars.
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Lamingtons:
- Make Lamingtons by coating them in chocolate and then rolling them in coconut shreds.
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Oatmeal and Porridges:
- Cook coconut with oatmeal, overnight oatmeal, or other porridges for added flavor and texture.
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Versatile Sprinkling:
- Sprinkle coconut onto various dishes like pancakes, citrusy fruit salads, yogurt, smoothies, and popcorn.
- Optional but recommended: Toast the coconut for enhanced flavor.
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Desserts:
- Explore a range of coconut-centric desserts, including coconut bars, coconut cake, coconut cream pie, and coconut tres leches cake.
- Stir coconut into batters for carrot cake or hummingbird cake.
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Coconut Cookies:
- Prepare coconut cookies like macaroons or delicate tuiles, which are quick to make and disappear even faster.
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Nut Butters and Coconut Butter:
- Spike homemade nut butter with shredded coconut.
- Easily make your own coconut butter using shredded coconut.
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Infusions:
- Infuse alcoholic beverages like rum and vodka with coconut.
- Alternatively, infuse simple syrup with coconut by steeping it in hot syrup and then straining.
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Tea Infusions:
- Create personalized tea infusions by adding shredded coconut to a tea sachet or strainer along with black, green, or pu-erh tea.
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Reader Contributions:
- The article concludes by inviting readers to share their pro or against stance on coconut and their favorite ways to cook with it.
The comments section adds two additional insights:
- Infusing vinegar with coconut, as mentioned by one reader.
- Adding unsweetened coconut to butternut squash soup along with dried cranberries for a delicious twist, as shared by another reader.
In essence, this article by Caroline Lange serves as a comprehensive guide to making the most of shredded coconut in the kitchen, offering a plethora of creative and mouthwatering ideas for both seasoned and novice cooks.
