Coconut Bread with Sweet Pineapple Butter
Coconut Bread
1 cup (1stick) unsalted butter, melted, plus
� more for greasing the pan
3 cups all-purpose flour
1-tablespoon baking powder
1-teaspoon salt
1-teaspoon ground cinnamon
1 cup brown sugar, packed
2 eggs, lightly beaten
1-teaspoon vanilla extract
Zest of 1 lemon, finely grated
1 1/2 cups unsweetened coconut milk
1 1/2 cups shredded coconut, toasted (see note)
Confectioner's sugar, for dusting
Pineapple Butter
1 (8-ounce) can crushed pineapple, drained
1 cup (2 sticks) unsalted butter, softened
Preheat the oven to 375 F. Grease the bottom and sides of a 9X5-inch
loaf pan with butter.
In a large bowl, mix the flour with the baking
powder, salt, and cinnamon. In another large bowl, whisk together
the melted butter with the brown sugar, eggs, vanilla, and lemon
zest. Pour the wet ingredients into the dry ingredients and fold
everything together with a spatula until you have a smooth batter.
Gently fold in the shredded coconut until evenly distributed. Pour
into the prepared loaf pan and set it on a cookie sheet. Bake for 1
hour to 1 hour 15 minutes, or until a wooden toothpick comes out
clean when inserted into the center of the bread. Rotate the pan
periodically to ensure even browning. Cool the bread in the pan for
20 minutes or so; then cool enough to handle, remove the coconut
bread to a cutting board and let cool completely before slicing.
Press the liquid out of the crushed pineapple using the back of a
spoon. (If there is too much juice, the fruit will separate from the
butter.) In a small bowl, mash the pineapple with the softened
butter until well blended. A food processor is a quick alternative
to making the compound butter, so use it if you have one. Mound the
butter in a small serving bowl. Toast the slices of coconut bread,
dust with confectioner's sugar, and serve with the creamy pineapple
butter. |