Pani Popo/Coconut Buns

Pani Popo is the traditional name for a sweet and sticky bun that originated in the South Pacific Islands of Samoa. In English Pani means bun and Popo means coconut. These buns are baked in a pool of thick sweet coconut milk. When I baked these the whole house smell so good and they taste even better right out of the oven. Soft, sweet and the sticky coconut at the bottom tasted just like kaya. I am so in love with these buns. If you like this type of buns please tries this out. I am sure you are going to like it too.

Ingredients:
Adapted from Try Anything Once

2 cups bread flour
¾ cup warm milk
1 1/2 tsp active dried yeast
2 tsp sugar
¼ tsp salt
1 tbsp butter
½ cup thick coconut milk
3 tbsp sugar
1 egg – beaten for egg wash

1. Mix the lukewarm milk, yeast and 1 tsp sugar in the mixing bowl. Leave it for a few minutes until the yeast started to bubble. Add in the butter and salt.
2. Add in the 2 cups of flour. Mix and knead the dough until it form into a smooth balls. I used KithcenAid to knead and it took about 5 minute.
3. Let the dough rest in a butter bowl until doubled in volume. Prepare and grease an 8” x 8” square pan or a round baking pan.
4. Remove the dough from bowl and divide it into 9 round balls. Place them in the baking pan, cover and let it rest again until double in size.
5. In the meantime, mix the coconut milk with the 3 tbsp of sugar (if you use can coconut milk it might be too thick or harden, you can always warm it up in the microwave oven for a few seconds)

6. Brush the buns with some egg wash. Pour the sweeten coconut milk over the buns and bake in a pre-heated 375 degree F oven for 30 minutes or until golden brown. Serve warm.

Note: These buns will harden up a bit the next day, just warm it up in the microwave for a few second and it will soft again.