Lolo Buns

On Tuesday, I shared a recipe for Creamy Lentil Soup (Dhal) for the Eat the World Recipe Challenge.  The recipe came form Fiji.  But it wasn’t the only Fijian recipe I made!

As I was researching, I also became fascinated my Lolo buns.  I wasn’t certain, at first, that I would actually make these.  They sounded so interesting (and I love making breads), but I learned that Lolo means coconut (and I really don’t care for coconut…actually no one in my family does).  Even so, I was interested and since I needed a can of coconut milk for the soup anyway, I decided to give them a whirl.

The texture and taste of the bread itself was remarkably reminiscent of caramel rolls.  The stickiness on the bottom also helped one think of caramel rolls…until we got to the coconut taste.  Then it was all over for this family.  We just aren’t coconut fans!

I can take a step back from my personal preferences (I did eat my whole bun because it was delicious) and say that these are fantastic, especially if you are a coconut lover!  The dough was light and soft and the coconut milk was just sticky and sweet enough to make these rolls a wonderful treat!

Lolo Buns

Adapted from My Cooking Journey

1 – 1 ½ cup all purpose flour

¾ teaspoon instant yeast

4 ½ teaspoons sugar

½ teaspoon salt

½ cup milk, lukewarm

2 tablespoons butter, melted

½ cup coconut milk + 1 tablespoon sugar

Place 1 cup of flour, yeast, sugar and salt in the bowl of a stand mixer and stir to combine.

Add the milk and butter and knead until a soft dough is formed.  If the dough is too sticky, slowly add the remaining ½ cup flour.  The dough should be tacky, but not stick to your fingers.

Place the dough in a greased bowl.  Cover and set in a warm place for 1 – 1 ½ hours or until doubled in size.

Split the dough into 6 equal parts (mine were just shy of 2 ½ ounces each).  Place the dough balls in a small round baking dish.  Cover, and set aside to rise for 30-45 minutes.

Whisk together the coconut milk and remaining sugar.  Pour the mixture over the buns.

Bake in a 350 degree oven for 28-32 minutes or until browned.  The coconut milk will be bubbling around the bottoms of the buns, making for a sticky bun, reminiscent of caramel rolls.