Many a recipe calls for shredded coconut or coconut flakes, and many others can be improved when sprinkled with them. As a matter of fact, I have used coconut flakes in savory dishes as well as desserts. Unfortunately, this prepared ingredient is hard to come by where I live. Fortunately, coconut is not. A long time ago, I figured how to make my own coconut flakes, and I promise they are ten times better than the store-bought variety.
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Here's how to make your own at home.
RECIPE: Homemade Coconut Flakes
Ingredients
- Meat of one dry coconut that has just been removed
Directions
- To start, you'll need the meat of one dry coconut that has just been removed.
- Grate the coconut meat with a box cheese grater. The size of the flakes will depend on which side of the grater you use. Be careful not to scrape your knuckles.
- These are the three most common sizes, I use the largest one mainly for decoration, the smaller sizes for baking. Check the recipe to make sure you get the right one for your needs.
- Spread the flakes on a baking tray, preferably lined with a non-stick mat. Preheat oven to 350 degrees Fahrenheit (175 degrees Celsius). Turn off heat and place the baking tray in the oven for 30 minutes. Remove from the oven while you reheat it again. Repeat once more to obtain dry (white) flakes, or twice more for toasted (golden) flakes. After the last round, let it rest in the oven for two hours.
- One coconut will yield 1/2 to 2 cups of flakes; volume will depend on the size of the flakes. To store, place in a zippered bag or airtight jar and refrigerate for a week.
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Recipes to use your homemade coconut flakes:
Quinoa coconut breakfast pudding
Chocolate chunk oatmeal cookies
Raw coconut chocolate 'kisses'
