Cinnamon Coconut Buns

Yesterday was World Bread Baking Day.  After missing my chance for last year, I was desperate to attend it this year.  Unfortunately whenever I try to bake for some important occasions, I experience these power load shedding, fuse gets burnt and finally no current for the whole day.  The same happened yesterday too, so I completed my bread after 8 p.m , which is not a good time for me to picture it, since I depend on natural light 100 percent.

So here I am posting my Cinnamon Coconut Buns today.  This might be just an ordinary coconut bun but I love the flavour of coconut in all food.  Whenever I use coconut in any sweet or dessert, normally I would like to flavour it with cardamom, this time for a change I used cinnamon.  Freshly baked bread always fills your home with a nice aroma, that too if you are having any flavours like cardamom, nutmeg or cinnamon in your bread, the aroma released from the bread is extraordinary. Go ahead, bake it and experience it.

Makes 1 medium sized loaf
Preparation Time: 20 minutes+ rising time
Cooking Time: 30- 40 minutes

Ingredients
All purpose flour- 500 g
Yeast- 4 tsp
Egg- 1
Milk-200 ml+ extra if needed
Butter - 1 tbsp
Sugar- 1 tbsp
Salt- 1 tsp

For the filling:
Fresh grated coconut- 150 g
Brown Sugar- 2 tbsp
Cinnamon powder- 1/2 tsp
Butter- 1 tbsp

For Egg wash:
Egg- 1
Vanilla essence- 1/2 tsp
Granulated Sugar- To sprinkle on top

Method:
Mix together the flour, salt, sugar and yeast in a large bowl. Make a well in the center, add the egg.  Heat the butter and milk together until the butter gets melted.  Add the milk mixture little by little into the flour mixture and start beating with a electric mixer with a dough tool until the dough holds together.
Turn the dough into a floured work surface and knead it well for about 5 minutes.  Place the dough in a clean oiled bowl, cover with a cling film or a warm tea towel and let it rise for 1 to 2 hours until it looks doubled in size.

Mean while start preparing the filling by melting the butter in a pan, then add the coconut and sugar.  Stir well until the sugar melts completely and gets incorporated with the coconut well.  Finally add the cinnamon powder, mix well and take it off from heat.

Once the dough looks raised, punch the air back, do not knead it too much.  Divide the dough into 5  equal rounds.  Roll one round into 8 cm length and 2 cm wide.  Place the filling in the middle and then roll it up.  For the remaining 4 rounds, roll each one into a circle of 8 cm diameter.  Apply the filling in the middle of the circle, fold it into  semi circle, again apply the filling on top, and then fold it again to form a triangle, repeat this with the remaining 3 rounds.

Grease and line a 8 cm round cake tin, place the circle in the middle and all the triangles on the sides.  Cover it loosely and let it rise for 20 minutes.  Preheat the oven to 220 degree Celsius.  For egg wash, beat together the egg and vanilla essence.  Brush the egg wash on top of the bread and sprinkle with granulated sugar on top.  Bake it in the preheated oven for 30 to 40 minutes or until the top of the bread looks light brown in colour.  Take it out from the oven, cool it in the wire rack for 5 minutes, remove it from the tin and serve while they are still warm.

Note:
This bread doesn't have to be only in this shape, you can also make it like normal buns.  Just take a small ball flatten it, place the filling, cover the ball and again or any other creative shape too.

Linking this with World Bread Baking Day 2012