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Lolo buns
Fijian bread buns baked in sweet coconut cream
Lolo buns are the Sunday treat of Fijian kitchens, made for church lunches and family get-togethers in Lautoka and Suva: soft yeast buns packed into a tin and baked in a bath of sweetened coconut cream (lolo), which soaks into the bottoms and bakes into a sticky, caramel-edged sauce. Everyone pulls one out warm from the tin. A common mistake is pouring the coconut cream on too early; add it just before baking so the buns have risen fully. Chef's tip: use thick, full-fat coconut cream for a rich glaze.
- Total time
- 65 min
- Difficulty
- medium
- Serves
- 12
Ingredients
For the buns
- 1 ⅛ lb strong white bread flour
- 1 ¾ oz sugar
- 1 tsp salt
- 1 ¼ cups lukewarm water
- 3 tbsp vegetable oil
For the coconut bath
- 1 ¾ cups coconut cream
- 2 ⅞ oz sugar
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Method
0/6 doneStep 1: Mix 1 ⅛ lb strong white bread flour, ¼ oz fast-action dried yeast, 1 ¾ oz sugar and 1 tsp salt. Add 1 ¼ cups lukewarm water and 3 tbsp vegetable oil and knead for 10 minutes to a smooth, soft dough.
10 minStep 2: Cover and leave in a warm place for 1 hour, until doubled.
60 minStep 3: Divide into 12 balls and pack them into a greased 23 × 33 cm deep baking dish. Cover and rise for 40–45 minutes until puffy and touching. Heat the oven to 375°F (350°F fan).
45 minStep 4: Warm 1 ¾ cups coconut cream with 2 ⅞ oz sugar until dissolved and pour it over and around the buns.
3 minStep 5: Bake for 30–35 minutes until golden on top and the coconut cream has thickened and caramelised around the edges.
35 minStep 6: Cool for 10 minutes and serve warm, spooning the sauce over.
10 min
Nutrition per serving
- Calories
- 300 kcal
- Protein
- 5 g
- Carbs
- 44 g
- Fat
- 12 g
- Fibre
- 2 g
Nutrition values are estimates.
KrazyBadal
Good to know
- How long does lolo buns take?
- About 65 minutes in total: 30 minutes to prepare and 35 minutes to cook.
- How many people does it serve?
- 12 as written. Change the servings above the ingredients and every amount scales to match.
- Is it vegan?
- Yes. It has no meat, fish, dairy or eggs.
- What can I use instead of strong white bread flour?
- Plain flour, same amount (the dough will be softer and rise a little less).
- What can I use instead of fast-action dried yeast?
- Fresh yeast, three times the weight.
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