Fresh Coconut Food

FRESH COCONUT PIE

Steps:

• Mix all the ingredients together. Pour into pie crust and bake in a preheated 300 degree oven for one hour. Cool before serving

FRESH COCONUT CAKE

Steps:

• Preheat the oven to 350 degrees F. Beat the egg whites to soft peaks, while gradually adding 1/2 cup of the sugar. In a separate bowl, beat the egg yolks until thick. Cream the butter with the vanilla and beat in the remaining 1 cup sugar. Stir the egg yolks into the butter mixture and cream well. Sift the flour, baking powder, and salt together 3 times. Add enough milk to the reserved coconut milk to make 1 cup liquid. Alternate adding coconut liquid and flour mixture to the butter mixture. Blend in 1/4 cup of the coconut grating and beat well. Fold in the egg whites. Pour into two 9-inch or three 8-inch layer pans. Bake for 25 to 30 minutes. Frost the cake layers, assemble, and sprinkle with the remaining coconut grating.
• Combine the sugar, milk, butter, and vanilla. Cook for about 5 minutes, until the mixture begins to thicken. Mix in the coconut. Frosts one 8- or 9-inch layered cake.

TO CRACK AND SHAVE FRESH COCONUT

Steps:

• Preheat oven to 400°F.
• Pierce softest eye of coconut with a metal skewer or small screwdriver and drain liquid into a bowl to sample (if it tastes sweet, the coconut is fresh; if it tastes oily, the coconut is rancid and should be discarded). Bake coconut in oven 15 minutes.
• Break shell with a hammer or back of a heavy cleaver, then remove flesh with point of a strong knife, levering it out carefully. Remove brown skin with a sharp knife or vegetable peeler.
• Shave edges of coconut meat pieces with a vegetable peeler until you have about 3 1/2 cups shavings.

FRESH COCONUT MILK

Steps:

• Preheat oven to 400°F.
• Use a metal skewer or ice pick to pierce two of the soft spots at the top, where the "eyes" are. Drain the liquid and save for use in other recipes.
• Place the coconut on a cookie sheet and bake for 15 minutes. Remove from oven and let it cool until it can be handled (about 5 minutes).
• If it is not already cracked open, place the coconut on a hard surface and tap with a hammer until the shell breaks.
• Remove the white flesh with a spoon or table knife. Peel off the thin, brown inner skin with a vegetable peeler.
• Grate the coconut pieces on the fine side of a manual grater or cut into coarse pieces and grind in a food processor.
• In a blender (or food processor fitted with the metal blade), process the coconut and hot water for about 2 minutes. Let cool for 5 minutes.
• Strain the mixture through a coffee filter into a small bowl, pressing down hard on the solid grated coconut flesh to squeeze out all the liquid. For thinner milk, add a little more water.
• Use in any recipe calling for coconut milk.
• Note: Fresh coconut milk should be used immediately, it loses its flavor even if refrigerated.