Pan de Coco
Recipe by Artisan Bryan – https://www.artisanbryan.com/post/how-to-make-pan-de-coco-sourdough-bread-recipe
Raved by Debby, I had to try making this. I was initially in the mood for Kaya buns, or cocktail buns, but ended up trying this instead because I was all about sourdough and not so much into yeast, which seemed like a shortcut cheat.
Verdict: 7/10 I really wanted to love this. Based on the videos, I was honestly expecting a soft, moist, and light bun that I was familiar with growing up. Asian style buns, no TangZhong or yeast usage. Sadly, this wasn’t it.
That said, I was so excited by the smell when this was in the oven. It smelled absolutely heavenly and I was hoping my neighbors could smell it and be jealous of my kitchen. The usage of coconut milk also made me think that the fragrance of coconut would permeate through the dough but that didn’t happen.
The rolls have a surprising crust for how soft and pillowy the raw dough was before it went into the oven. I was afraid it was going to be hard and dry on the inside, but it was surprisingly moist. I was expecting the moistness, fluffiness and sweetness of the Asian coconut buns I grew up with so I was a tad disappointed with the outcome. Nonetheless, great texture, wished it had more flavor, but this was meant to be enjoyed sopping up sauces with meals so it makes sense. This might pair well with a heartier, thicker curry than the picadillo stew I made this with. This is definitely a great dinner roll.
It also remained soft and bouncy and retained freshness for 2 weeks while I ate my way through the rolls and it’s heft left me pretty full for a good awhile, which honestly, few breads can do.
Another huge plus is that you're supposed to enjoy this fresh and hot, out of the oven, unlike the normal sourdough boules which require resting. Recipe is also less tedious than sourdough boules and required less baby-sitting, shaping and meticulousness. That said, I did screw up the recipe cos i'm severely lacking in my Asian math genes. I forgot to half my water volume and ended up with a super wet and sticky dough and had to add more flour to compensate. Glad it was salvageable, though I'm unsure if the taste and texture is as intended since hydration levels have been changed.
Will I make this again? Maybe.