Coconut Candy Recipe (with Fresh Grated Coconut)

Looking for quick coconut candy recipe? Here's one you should try!

This coconut candy is a famous sweet treat in Malaysia. You often see it in bright pink and green cubes sold by street vendors and is truly loved by many.

Quick and Easy Coconut Candy Recipe

The candy recipe calls for the use of 3 main ingredients i.e. grated coconut, condensed milk, and sugar. To these, I also add butter, vanilla, and coloring for a yummy tray for coconut candy.

This coconut candy recipe uses freshly grated coconut. The coconut in this natural form is very moist and unsweetened. I also have another recipe for this coconut candy, but that is made using desiccated coconut. It is pretty much the same as this coconut candy recipe, but given the very dry texture of desiccated coconut, the amount of condensed milk, sugar, and butter used in that recipe vary significantly.

This coconut candy is firm and crusty on the outside, but soft on the inside. It can be cut into bars or squares and can be colored to any color you like. It can also be wrapped in pretty candy wrappers for gifting.

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How to Make Coconut Candy

Ingredients

• Grated coconut (fresh & unsweetened)
• Condensed milk
• Sugar
• Butter
• Vanilla
• Food color (Americolor Electric pink)

Making the candy

1. Prepare the tray for the candy. Line it with parchment and apply some butter to it.
2. Measure the condensed milk into a large pot or pan.
3. Add sugar and turn on the heat.
4. Keep mixing until the sugar starts to melt.
5. Add in the butter and stir until the butter is melted.
6. Also, add the vanilla and food coloring at this stage.

1. Stir until the color is well distributed. Turn off the heat if the condensed milk is turning too thick.
2. Next, add the grated coconut. Mix thoroughly. Continue to cook the coconut candy over low heat until it becomes dry. To know if the candy is ready, you will see the sugar traces at the side of the pot turning white.
3. Turn off the heat. Transfer the candy into a greased and lined tray.
4. Press the coconut candy with the back of a spoon (butter the spoon to avoid sticking) until it is packed and flat. You can also place a parchment paper on the candy and press it down with your palm. Whichever way, do it when the candy is still hot. Once the top is all flat, leave the candy tray to cool down completely.

Cutting the candy

1. Wait until the candy is completely cool before cutting it. Use a sharp, buttered knife (apply some butter to the knife) to cut the candy into squares or bars.
2. You can cut the candy directly in the tray or carefully lift it out onto a cutting board to cut.
3. If you see any stray strands of coconut as you cut the candy, use 2 knives to tidy them by pressing them to the sides of the cut candy.
4. Store the coconut candy in an airtight container. This candy can last at least one week, provided it does not come into contact with any moisture.

Coconut Candy Recipe

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Coconut Candy Recipe Notes

What is fresh grated coconut and how is it different from desiccated coconut

• Grated coconut is the white coconut flesh in grated form. It is a lot finer than coconut flakes and is normally sold fresh or in dry form. The freshly grated coconut has high moisture content. Desiccated coconut, on the other hand, is the grated coconut in dry form. It is literally dehydrated grated coconut and is often a lot lighter in weight than freshly grated coconut.
• This recipe calls for the use of unsweetened, fresh grated coconut. If you want to make the candy with desiccated coconut, use my other recipe here. The ingredients measure differ due to the very dry nature of desiccated coconut.

Cooking the condensed milk and sugar

• When heating up the condensed milk and sugar, keep stirring the solution all the time. The condensed milk tends to burn very quickly especially as it starts to boil and thicken, hence, always keep stirring to avoid the bottom from burning.

How to know if the candy is cooked and ready to be transafered out to a tray?

• This is quite tricky. If the coconut candy is not cooked well, it will not set as it should, once transferred out onto a tray.
• The key is to cook it until it appears dry and there are no longer any traces of liquid in the pot. You will notice the sugar traces on the side of your pan turning white, which means the candy is ready.

What if the candy does not set after transfering into the tray.

• If your candy remains very soft, it is not cooked enough. Simply return it to the pot, and continue to cook for a little longer.

How to avoid the candy from sticking to the knife when cutting?

• If you cut the candy while it is still warm, it will tend to stick to the knife.
• The best way to cut this candy is to wait until it has completely cooled down. This can take at least about an hour.
• Also, buttering your knife will help ensure a smooth cutting process. Buttering the knife simply means applying some butter to the knife, similar to greasing a cake tin for baking cakes.
• Once the candy is set, use a sharp knife to cut it into squares or bars. If you see any loose coconut strands after cutting, press them to the sides of the candy with the knife to tidy them up.

How much candy does this recipe make

• This recipe makes one block of candy measuring 12 cm by 18 cm, with a thickness of about 1.5 cm.

How long does the candy last

• This coconut candy lasts for a good one week. However, it is very sensitive to moisture, hence make sure the candy container is free from moisture.

How to store the candy

• The candy can be stored in any container. It is probably best to use a flat and wide container rather than a tall and narrow cookie jar to avoid the candy from breaking from being stacked on one another.

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Coconut Candy Recipe

Here is the full printable version of my coconut candy recipe.

📖Recipe

And that's my super yummy coconut candy recipe.

Coconut Candy Recipe

Here are my other posts you might want to check out:

• Coconut Loaf Cake with Lemon Glaze Topping
• Cherry Coconut Cookies - Easy Christmas Cookie Idea
• Orange Layer Cake with Orange Buttercream and Candied Peels
• Light Fruit Cake

Enjoy 🙂