Coconut Bun-ny Twists
These Coconut Bun-ny Twists are a delicious and festive recipe to make this spring. These pastries are filled with a sweet coconut bun filling and wrapped in a flaky puff pastry. Serve them as is or decorate with jellybeans to add some fun colour!
A Pastry Inspired by Chinese Coconut Buns
These Coconut Bun-ny Twists are inspired by Chinese coconut buns that you can get at any Chinese bakery. I love the coconut filling in these buns, but I find that sometimes there is such a small amount of filling compared to the fluffy bun.
In this recipe, I have really made sure to fill these with a lot of delicious coconut filling, without having too much pastry. This way, you can really taste the flavours of the coconut in every bite. I also really enjoy the mixed textures of the sweet dense coconut filling with a crisp and flaky puff pastry…especially when they come out of the oven!
A Fun and Easy Easter Treat
These Coconut Bun-ny Twists come together quickly, and are a fun and creative recipe to make- both for adults and kids! While there are a few *slightly* technical elements like sealing and rolling the pastry, they are really straightforward. These steps are before the fun and creative part of twisting the pastry and forming it into a bunny shape, so these steps can be done before passing off to kids to have fun in twisting and shaping the bunnies.
Of course, these pastries can be served as is, but they can also be decorated with jellybeans or other festive spring sweets to add some extra flair. I attached the jellybeans to the bunnies using a bit of icing sugar and water to create little bunny tails. You can swap jellybeans for chocolate mini eggs, sprinkles, or anything you desire!
Get the Recipe: Coconut Bun-ny Twists
Coconut Bun-ny Twists
Ingredients
For the Coconut Filling:
- 2 egg yolks
- ¼ cup salted butter melted
- 1/8 teaspoon turmeric powder
- ¼ cup granulated white sugar
- 1 ¼ cup unsweetened grated coconut
- 1 teaspoon vanilla extract
For the Pastry:
- 2 sheets puff pastry
- All-purpose flour for rolling out the pastry
- 2 egg whites beaten
- 4 teaspoons granulated white sugar for garnish
- 3 tablespoons icing sugar
- ¼ to ½ teaspoon water
- Jellybeans for garnish
Instructions
- Preheat the oven to 400 degrees F. Line two baking sheets with parchment paper. Set aside.
- Make the coconut filling by combining the egg yolks, butter, turmeric powder, and white sugar in a bowl. Mix until fully combined, then add the coconut and vanilla. Mix again to fully combine and set aside.
- Roll out the puff pastry into an 6×10 inch rectangle. Cut the rectangle down the middle to create two 3×10 inch rectangles. Repeat for the other sheet of puff pastry to create 4 3×10 inch rectangles.
- Roughly divide the coconut filling into 8 portions. Spread the coconut filling into two long lines per puff pastry rectangle, spacing the filling 1 inch apart. Repeat for the remining puff pastry sheets so that you have 8 rows of coconut filling in total.
- Brush the edges and center of the puff pastry with the egg white to help seal the pastry. Gently roll the puff pastry around the coconut filling and press to seal. Use a knife or a pizza cutter to slice the rolls apart. You will have 8 ropes of puff pastry.
- Twist each roll of the puff pastry. While still twisted, create a loop at the base of the pastry, then twist the pastry two to three times around to form the body of the bunny. Pinch the ends of the pastry to look like ears and place on the parchment-lined baking tray. Repeat for the remaining rolls of puff pastry.
- Brush the tops of the pastries with egg whites then sprinkle with granulated white sugar. Bake in the oven for 16 to 18 minutes, or until golden brown. Remove from the oven and let cool completely.
- For an extra garnish, combine the icing sugar and water in a small bowl to create a thick paste. Spoon a small amount of icing onto the base of the bunny and top with a jellybean. Serve at room temperature and enjoy!
Nutrition
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