Coconut Food Products (Processing)

Coconut macaroons, a type of popular meringue-like cookie which has an egg white base and prominently features dried (and often sweetened) coconut meat shavings. (Photo credit: Wikipedia)

This is a compilation of methods to process coconut food products. So, this is a very long post about coconuts. Procedures include, among others, the methods:

• How to Make Coconut Macaroons, 
• How to Make Masapan de Coco, 
• How to Make Coco Brittle, 
• How to Make Coco Candy, 
• How to Make Bukayo, 
• How to Make Coconut Syrup, 
• How to Make Coconut Honey, 
• How to Make Coconut Whey Syrup,
• How to Make Coco Jam, 
• How to Make Condensed Coconut Milk, 
• How to Make Coconut Chips, 
• How to Make Nata de Coco, 
• How to Make Buko Leather, 
• How to Make Coconut Kropeck, 
• How to Make Coco Burger, 
• How to Make Coconut Taho, and 
• How to Make Coco Vinegar.

HOW TO MAKE COCONUT MACAROONS

RAW MATERIALS and UTENSILS

• 3 eggs 
• ¾ cup condensed milk 
• 1 tsp vanilla 
• 4 cup desiccated coconut* 
• 2/3 cup sugar 
• 1 tbsp butter or margarine

• measuring cups and spoons
• oven
• mixing bowl
• egg beater
• wooden ladle

PACKAGING MATERIAL

• paper cups
• styrofor with plastic cover

PROCEDURE:

• Beat eggs till light and fluffy. Add butter or margarine and sugar, then beat thoroughly. 
• Add vanilla, condensed milk and desiccated coconut. 
• Grease paper cups and fill with the mixture. 
• Bake in a moderate oven 177°C (350°F) for 15 minutes or until slightly brown.

* Maybe prepared using oven-dried sapal.

HOW TO MAKE MASAPAN DE COCO

RAW MATERIALS and UTENSILS

• 1 cup grated coconut 
• 1 tbsp flour 
• ½ cup evaporated milk 
• 2 egg yolks 
• ¼ cup crushed pineapple
• 6 tbsp chopped toasted peanuts
• 1 tsp vanilla 
• ¾ cup sugar 
• oven
• measuring cups and spoons
• wooden ladle
• carajay/saucepan
• stove

 PACKAGING MATERIAL

• paper boxes

PROCEDURE:

1. Put and mix the coconut, sugar, peanuts, pineapple in a carajay or frying pan with constant stirring until almost dry.
2. Add milk. Cook over low heat with constant stirring.
3. Add the slightly beaten egg yolks and vanilla.
4. Continue stirring until thick enough to mold.
5. Pour into paper boxes for molding.
6. When boxes are filled, brush top with beaten eggs and bake until golden brown on top.
7. Serve hot or cold. 

HOW TO MAKE COCO BRITTLE

RAW MATERIALS and UTENSILS

• 2 cups toasted grated coconut 
• ½ tsp salt
• 1 cup sugar 
• saucepan
• wooden spoon
• oven
• measuring cups and spoons
• kneading board
• wide mouth jars 
• rolling pin

 PACKAGING MATERIAL 

• PP/PE bags

PROCEDURE:
1. Caramelize sugar and salt in a saucepan. Stir once in a while to prevent burning.
2. When melted and syrup-like, add toasted coconut and mix well until mixture does not stick to the sides of the pan.
3. Pour on well-greased board and roll with a well-greased rolling pin until very thin.
4. Cut to desired pieces and store in clean wide-mouth jars.

HOW TO MAKE COCONUT CANDY

RAW MATERIALS and UTENSILS

• 1 cup grated coconut 
• ½ cup whole milk 
• 1 cup sugar 
• 1 cup molasses
• stainless steel spoon
• stove   
• sharp knife
• mechanical grater
• carajay/saucepan
• pans
• cellophane 
• stainless steel basin

PACKAGING MATERIAL

• PE bags (0.003-in thickness)

PROCEDURE:
1. Pour and mix milk, molasses and sugar in a carajay and allow to boil.
2. Add grated coconut and cook over low heat with constant stirring.
3. Cook until a little of the mixture hardens when dropped into cold water.
4. Pour into butter-greased pans taking care to spread evenly to obtain uniform thickness. Allow to cool slightly.
5. Cut into small pieces or according to desired sizes and wrap in cellophane individually.

HOW TO MAKE BUKAYO

RAW MATERIALS and UTENSILS

Processing of dried banana blossoms

If you have tasted a Filipino version of braised pork (humba), or paksiw na pata, then you must have tried eating dried banana blossoms. Dried banana blossoms are sometimes used as a substituted for lily blossoms in some Chinese dishes such as hot & sour soup.

In many areas of the country where there is a lot of banana plantations, most of banana blossoms are just thrown away; when in fact they can be processed and sold in the market. So what are they made of, and how to make them? They are made of the flowers “BLOSSOMS”, inside the puso ng saging. The procedure how to preserve them is below: Ingredients: 1 tbsp sodium metabisulfite 4 c water sugar, vinegar, soy sauce (to taste) banana blossoms

Utensils: measuring spoons/cups colander casserole cheesecloth stove drying tray Procedure: 1. Dissolve 1 tablespoon sodium metabisulfite in four cups water and boil the solution. 2. Strip apart banana blossoms, wrap in cheesecloth, and blanch in the boiling solution for 5 minutes. Drain using colander. 3. Mix equal quantities of sugar, vinegar and soy sauce and soak the blanched blossoms overnight in this mixture. 4. Drain, dry under the heat of the sun and pack in plastic bags. Source: DOST, Photo courtesy of www.marketmanila.com, and www.pixieate.blogspot.com