Sweetened Coconut Recipe

I haven't ever bought sweetened coconut, and I'm not even sure if it is widely available in Stockholm, or indeed London. I do remember avoiding a Nigella Lawson recipe after it called for shredded coconut (not sure if it needed to be sweetened), as I couldn't find it back in London. Or perhaps I didn't look. Who knows?!

Anyhoo, when I made coconut macaroons a while back, I needed sweetened coconut flakes, and as I had specifically bought coconut flakes, I was unwilling to find and buy new ingredients, so found out how to sweeten coconut myself. I misread the recipe, but the ratio is simple to remember for the future...

Sweetened Coconut Flakes or Shreds

Time: 10 minutes (+ optional 30-60 minutes drying time)

Yield: Ratios specified below yield 1 cup coconut

Storage: keep in an airtight container out of direct sunlight for up to 1 week.

Ingredients

• 1 cup dry natural coconut flakes or dessicated coconut
• 4 tbsp water
• 4 tsp sugar

Method

1. Heat the water and sugar in a small saucepan on medium high heat, stirring until the sugar dissolves. Once the sugar dissolves, wait until the simple syrup comes to the boil.
2. Turn the heat off and remove the saucepan from the hot hob on to a heat resistant surface (e.g. a trivet).
3. Add the dried coconut and stir until the syrup is absorbed evenly and all the coconut is moistened.
4. If you can use them moist (e.g. you are adding the sweetened coconut to a wet  mixture, use them straightaway; otherwise, spread the sweetened pieces out on a baking tray or some baking paper to dry for at least an hour.

You can store them for two weeks in an airtight container in a cool, dark area.

Did you spot the ratio?

If you consider 1 cup to be 4 x 1/4 cups, you have a 4 tsp: 4 tbsp: 4 x 1/4 cup of sugar: water: dried coconut.

That's how I remember it anyhow! Knowing this, you can adjust how much sweetened coconut you make accordingly!