Coconut Candy Recipe
An easy coconut candy recipe for yummy coconut candy bars. With coconut, condensed milk and sugar, you can make this treat in no time at all!
Servings: 1 18cm by 12cm tray
Calories: 2017kcal
Ingredients
- 200 g grated coconut (fresh)
- 75 g white sugar
- 110 g condensed milk
- 7.5 g butter (salted)
- 1 teaspoon vanilla extract
- Food color
Instructions
- Line and grease a square or rectangle tin measuring at least 12cm by 18cm.
- Measure the condensed milk into a medium-sized pot or pan. Add sugar and turn on the heat.
- Mix continuously until the sugar starts to dissolve. Pay attention to the bottom of the pan to avoid the sugar and condensed milk from burning.
- Add butter and vanilla. Stir until the butter is melted.
- Add food coloring. Mix well. Turn off the heat if the condensed milk is too thickened.
- Add the grated coconut and stir until it is well combined. Turn on the heat again and retain it on low.
- Stir the coconut continuously until it turns dry. The sugar traces on the sides of the pan should be turning white.
- While the candy is still hot, transfer it into the prepared tray.
- Press the candy down with the back of a buttered spoon or with a parchment paper.
- Leave the candy aside to cool completely, for at least one hour. The candy should be firm to touch.
- Turn the candy out onto a cutting board and cut into squares or bars with a sharp, butterred knife.
- Store the candy in a container.
Notes
- If you do not have grated coconut, you can also use fresh or frozen shredded coconut (coconut shreds) or coconut flakes, but process it to break the shreds and flakes into smaller bits. Also, make sure the coconut is not sweetened or else your candy will be too sweet and make sure the flakes and shreds are not dry coconut.
- White coarse sugar can be substituted with granulated sugar and even powdered sugar. But it really is not necessary to use fine sugar as the sugar will be cooked to dissolve it.
- Pink food coloring can be replaced with any other color of your choice. You can also leave the candy untinted.
- 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. Avoid using high heat.
- 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.