Coco Bread Recipe

After more than a decade, the coco bread recipe below is still the only one I have ever used. Fresh-baked from the oven, these pillowy-soft, butter-laden bread are an addictive indulgence for any bread lover. Coco bread is a Jamaican lunch staple that is commonly served with a beef patty wedged between its folds. Other common combinations include coco bread and cheese and Jerk chicken with coco bread. Like croissants and other rich breads, coco bread dries out quickly when exposed to air. If the recipe below produces more bread than you need you have 2 choices for keeping your coco bread fresh.

  1. Bake the entire batch. Placed unused bread in freezer bags. Freeze until ready to eat. To eat, microwave frozen bread for 60 seconds
  2. shape and butter each loaf. Place the unbaked bread on a sheet of parchment paper. Place in a freezer bag and freeze until you are ready to bake. Thaw frozen bread on a lined baking sheet for 30 minutes before baking. Place in a freezer bag and freeze or refrigerate any leftover bread until needed.
The hardest part of making coco bread is tempering the milk and water. Because it is made with active dry yeast the mixing liquid must be warm enough to activate the yeast but, cool enough to not kill it. Ideally, the mixing liquid should be lukewarm. Think baby formula. Coco bread dough can be made ahead and refrigerated for up to 36 hours or frozen until you are ready to bake. Thaw frozen dough at room temperature before oiling and covering to rise. Regardless of when you bake the dough should be covered with plastic wrap and allowed to at room temperature until it doubles in size.

Coco Bread Recipe

Sian
4.50 from 2 votes
Prep Time 20 minutes
Cook Time 15 minutes
Proofing Time 1 hour 20 minutes
Total Time 1 hour 55 minutes
Course Bread
Cuisine Jamaican
Servings 6
Calories 233 kcal

Equipment

  • mixer with dough hook
  • Pizza stone

Ingredients
  

  • 1 pk active dry yeast
  • 2 tsp sugar
  • 3 TB warm water 105 – 110°
  • 1 egg
  • ½ C warm milk 105 – 110°
  • 1 tsp salt
  • ¼ C butter, melted
  • 1¾ + ½ C all-purpose flour, reserve ½ cup for rolling

Instructions
 

  • Mix the yeast, sugar and water together in the mixing bowl. Stir in the egg and combine well. Mix in the milk.
    Attach the dough hook and start mixing the yeast mixture. While the mixer runs, spoon in the flour. Continue mixing until all the flour is absorbed. The dough will be soft and sticky. Dust 1 hand with 2 – 3 TB of the reserved flour Use your floured hand to pull the dough away from the hook and bowl. Use a bit of the melted butter or 1 TB of oil to coat the dough and inside of the mixing bowl. Return the dough to the bowl. Cover the bowl with plastic wrap.
    Leave the dough to rise for 1 hour. The dough should double in size.
    After 1 hour. Flour a smooth, clean, dry counter or cuting board. Turn the dough onto the floured surface.
    Divide into 6 pieces.
    Roll each piece into a flat circular (or something like that) shape. Dough should be 6-8" in diameter
    Use a basting brush to butter the top of the rolled dough. Fold the dough in half. butter again. Fold again. Butter the top. Place folded dough on baking sheet. Repeat until all the dough is shaped and buttered. Leave dough to rise uncovered for 20 minutes.
  • Preheat oven to 350°
    After 20 minutes, place the baking sheet in the center of the oven and bake for 15 minutes. After 15 minutes check for doneness. Breads should be golden brown all over. If not golden, place baking sheet on top shelf of over and bake for another 5 minutes.

Notes

*Use a pizza/ baking stone or double stack your baking sheet to prevent burning. 

2 thoughts on “Coco Bread Recipe”

    1. Add an extra ¼ cup of heavy cream or milk Desiree. The cream will give you the same texture as the egg. If you use extra milk the coco bread will be little more dense but not much.

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