Pão de Deus (Portuguese Coconut Sweet Buns)

Method

1. 1
   • milk 1½ dl
   • dry yeast 7 g
   • white sugar 60 g

   Activate the yeast — Stir the yeast and a teaspoon of the dough sugar into the lukewarm milk and leave for 10 minutes, until the surface is foamy and smells of bread.

   ⏱10 min
2. 2
   • milk 1½ dl
   • white sugar 60 g
   • wheat flour 350 g
   • salt ½ tsp
   • egg 2
   • butter 60 g

   Knead in the butter — Mix the flour, the rest of the dough sugar and the salt in a large bowl. Add the yeasted milk and the 2 eggs and work to a soft dough, then knead for 8 minutes. Add the butter a few cubes at a time, kneading between additions, and continue for 5 minutes more until the dough is glossy and pulls cleanly off the bowl.

3. 3

   Prove until doubled — Cover the bowl and leave the dough in a warm place for about an hour, until doubled in size and visibly slack when you tilt the bowl.

   ⏱1 hr
4. 4

   Shape the buns — Knock the dough back, divide it into eight equal pieces and roll each into a tight ball under your cupped hand. Space them well apart on a lined baking tray, cover, and prove for 40 minutes until they look pillowy.

   ⏱40 min
5. 5
   • white sugar 60 g
   • egg 2
   • desiccated coconut 120 g
   • lemon zest 1 tsp

   Make the coconut topping — Meanwhile heat the oven to 180 °C and make the topping: beat the whole egg with the 60 g of sugar and the lemon zest, then stir in the desiccated coconut to a thick, spoonable paste.

6. 6
   • desiccated coconut 120 g
   • egg yolk 1

   Top and bake — Brush the risen buns with the egg yolk, then spoon a generous mound of coconut paste onto each and spread it almost to the edge. Bake for 18-19 minutes, until the crust is deep gold and crackled and the buns underneath sound hollow.

   ⏱19 min
7. 7
   • desiccated coconut 120 g
   • powdered sugar 2 tbsp

   Dust with sugar — Cool the buns on a rack for 15 minutes — the coconut crust firms as it cools — then dust generously with powdered sugar and serve with coffee.

   ⏱15 min