Salara
 
Prep time
Cook time
Total time
 
Sweet spiced coconut, stuff into a soft dough and baked to perfection
Author:
Recipe type: Diary Free
Cuisine: Caribbean
Serves: 2 Rolls or about 8 servings
Ingredients
For the coconut filling
  • 4 cups of grated coconut (about two whole coconuts)
  • 1 cup of granulated sugar
  • ½ teaspoon of ground cloves
  • 1 teaspoon of ground cinnamon
  • 2 teaspoons of gel red food coloring
For the sugar sling
  • 1 cup of water
  • ½ cup of sugar
For the Dough
  • 3½ cups of All Purpose Flour, plus additional flour for dusting your work surface
  • 1 tablespoon of Instant / Rapid Rising Yeast
  • ½ teaspoon of salt
  • ½ cup of coconut milk
  • ¾ cups of warm water
  • ¼ cup of brown sugar
  • ¼ cup of coconut oil or other fat such as butter, lard, shortening, margarine
  • 1 beaten egg yolk
  • About two tablespoons of room temperature water to seal the salara before baking
Instructions
Prepare the coconut filling
  1. In a large pot on medium-low heat combine the grated coconut, sugar, ground cloves and ground cinnamon and mix together well
  2. Then add the food coloring and mix until all the coconut is coated with the color
  3. Continue to cook for 5 to 10 minutes to bring all of the flavor of the coconut filling together but be careful not to dry the coconut out
  4. Then set aside and let cool completely
Make a sugar sling or glaze
  1. Combine the water and sugar in a small pot or saucepan on medium-high heat
  2. Stir until all the sugar dissolves then bring to a boil and continue for 5 minute or until the mixture reduces to about half
  3. Then remove from the heat and set aside
Make the dough
  1. Mix together the coconut milk, sugar and water, stirring until the sugar completely dissolves and set aside (it may be necessary to warm this mixture up before adding to the dry ingredients)
  2. Then in a large mixing bowl combine the flour, yeast and salt and mix together well
  3. Next using a fork or your finger tips rub the coconut oil or other fat into the flour mixture
  4. Then make a well in the center of the dry ingredients in preparation for the warm milk, water and sugar solution you prepared earlier
  5. Add the warm milk, water and sugar solution to the dough and using a whisk combine with some of the dry ingredients to form a smooth batter (as demonstration in the video)
  6. Then using your hands combine the batter with the remaining dry ingredients in the bowl, to form a very sticky dough
  7. Next add the remaining ½ cup of flour and knead into a smooth dough ball. This should take about 10 minutes
  8. Place the dough into a greased bowl, cover with a kitchen towel or damp paper towel and let rise until the dough doubles in size. This should take 45 minutes to an hour
  9. Once the dough doubles in size turn the dough onto a floured surface and knead for 5 minutes, then divide the dough into half
  10. Lightly knead each half into a ball to smooth the edges
  11. Then roll the dough out into a square (if you can) until it is about ¼ inch thick
  12. Then cover the rolled out dough with half of the prepared coconut filling, leaving about ½ inch of free space around the edge of the rolled out dough
  13. Reserve the rest of the filing for the other half of the dough
  14. Then brush the dough with some room temperature water and roll the dough, starting from one end, into a log
  15. Then tuck the ends of the log under to seal in the coconut filling
  16. Repeat steps 11 to 15 for the other piece of dough
Bake the Salara
  1. Preheat oven to 350°F
  2. Place your salara logs onto a greased baking sheet
  3. Brush with a beaten egg yolk and bake for 25 at 350°F
  4. After 25 minutes remove from the oven and immediately brush with the sugar sling/glaze you prepared earlier
  5. Set aside and allow the salara to cool before slicing and enjoying
Recipe by Metemgee at https://metemgee.com/2013/10/13/salara/