Coconut Bun/Dilkush/Thengai Bun

Coconut Bun/Dilkush/Thengai Bun

A. Ingredients For The Filling

1. Shredded coconut 3/4 cup coconut

2. Tutti Frutti 1/4 cup

3. Cashew nuts 3 tbsp

4. Raisins 1/4 cup

5. Cardamom powder 1/2 tsp

6. Vanilla Essence 1/2 tsp

7. Granulated sugar 3/4 cup

B. Ingredients For The Bun

1. Flour 1.75 cups 

2. Yeast 11/4 tsp

3. Salt 1/2 tsp

4. 9 tbsp lukewarm milk plus a drop more & 3 tbsp lukewarm water

5. Sugar 2 tsp

6. Milk wash

7. Oil 2 tbsp plus 1 tbsp for oiling the bowl & dough 

A.  Method Of a Preparation Of The Filling 

1. Add ghee in a pan. When it gets hot, reduce the flame to medium & add cashews. Using a slotted spoon, remove the cashews(without the ghee) when they turn golden in color. Set aside in a bowl. 

2. Then add the raisins. When they puff up, remove from the pan. Set aside in the same bowl where u have put cashews. Fry the raisins too on a medium flame.

3. Now to the same pan, on a medium flame, add the shredded coconut & toast it in ghee till the coconut becomes light brown (see pic# 2) & you get a nice aroma from it. Now add sugar & mix it well with the coconut & then add the cardamom & vanilla essence & turn off the gas. After turning off the gas, add in the tutti-frutti, fried cashews & raisins & mix everything together. 

Method Of Preparation Of The Bun

1. In a bowl, add sugar & yeast. To it, add lukewarm water. Give it a stir & then leave it aside in a warm place, preferably, your microwave for about 10 minutes for proofing the yeast. 

2. When you take it out of the oven after 10 minutes, the yeast should have frothed. If you don't see any froth & if the yeast isn't dissolved in the water, then you will have to discard it & start all over again. 

3. While the yeast is proofing, you may add flour, salt & 1 tbsp oil into a large bowl. Once you take the yeast mixture out of the oven, add it to the flour & mix & then add milk & mix everything together & form a dough.

4. Put this dough on ur countertop & knead it really well for 15 minutes. Add 1 more tbsp of oil  while kneading the dough. You know your dough is ready when you poke it with your finger & it bounces back. If it doesn't, then keep kneading for sometime more. Shape the dough into a smooth ball without any cracks.

5. Oil a large bowl & also oil the dough a little & place the dough into it & wrap it up tight with a cling wrap & put it in a warm environment, preferable your microwave. 

6. Let the dough remain there for 11/2 hours. When you take it out, you will see that the dough has doubled in size.

7. Punch the dough down to release the air in it. 

8. Shape the dough into a log & using a pizza cutter or a knife, cut the dough into two equal halves.

9. Again shape each half into a smooth ball & cover it & let it rise for another 30 minutes in your microwave oven or any warm place.

10. In the meantime, preheat your oven to 350F

11. Take the dough balls out of the oven & punch down the air, if there is any & make the surface of the balls smooth. 

12. Using your hand, flatten & stretch both the dough balls. Do not flatten it too thin. Let it be thicker than your chappati. Try to use your hand to flatten the dough. If you use a rolling pin, the base of your bun will go flat. The air pockets will get squeezed & make the base go flat. If you arent able to do it with your hands, then use a rolling pin.  Also if you flatten or roll it too thin, the bun will lose its shape while baking.

13. Now place the filling on one of the flattened dough leaving about a cm on the sides of the dough. If you cover up the base entirely with the filling, then while baking, the bun will break open on the sides.

14. Using a pastry brush, brush the edges with milk so that the edges get sealed properly & do not open up while baking.

15. Now cover this with the other flattened dough & seal the edges well using a fork. Also poke the top of the bun with a fork(like how you poke the base while preparing pizza) for vapour to escape. Now  brush the top of the bun with milk wash.

16. Let this rest covered for 15 minutes before baking. 

17. After 15 minutes, put it in the pre heated oven & let it bake for approximately 30 minutes or till the bun turns golden brown in color. Do not let it brown too much.

18. Once done, remove it from the oven & after a minute, transfer it to a cooling rack.

19. Using a serrated knife cut it into slices & serve hot with a cup of tea.

Notes

1. You may not need the entire filling for the bun. You can put the remaining filling in a zip loc bag & use it later.

2. Do not let the bun bake for a very long time. Keep an eye on it after 25 minutes. You can remove it from the oven once it turns golden brown. Do not let it become dark brown. If you bake it for a longer time, then the top will become very dry & hard.

3. If you find the top becoming too brown very fast, then just cover it with an aluminium foil & continue baking.

4. Add only lukewarm milk & water. Do not add hot milk or water. I have given the exact quantity of water & milk to be added. You will not need to add more water or milk to the flour. If you still have have a doubt, then add 1 tbsp milk at a time to the flour.

5. Milk wash can be replaced with egg wash. 

6. Adjust the measurements of the ingredients in the filling as per your preference. Reduce the quantity of sugar if you don't want to add so much. You may also add the dry fruits of your choice. 

6. Follow the above steps with measurements & I am sure you too will be able to make supersoft bun.