Lolo Buns Recipe: Fijian Coconut Cream Buns
, by Domalco, 2 min reading time
Soft, pull-apart madrai (bread) buns baked in sweet lolo (coconut cream) until golden and sticky. A Fijian bakery favourite you can make at home.
Photo: Amanda Lim / Unsplash
Lolo buns (coconut cream buns) are soft, pull-apart bread rolls baked in a pool of sweet lolo (coconut cream). The buns soak up the cream underneath while the tops turn golden, leaving a sticky coconut sauce on the bottom of the tray. Warm from the oven with a cup of ti (tea), they're hard to beat.
Fijian words in this recipe
- lolo (coconut cream)
- niu (coconut)
- madrai (bread)
- suka (sugar)
- ti (tea)
Ingredients
Makes 12 buns · Prep 25 min + 1½ hours rising · Bake 25–30 min
Dough:
- 4 cups plain or bread flour
- 2 tsp instant dry yeast
- ¼ cup suka (sugar)
- 1 tsp salt
- 1¼ cups warm milk or water
- 50 g butter, melted
Coconut cream sauce:
- 2 cups lolo (coconut cream)
- ½ cup suka (sugar)
Method
- Make the dough. In a large bowl or parat, mix the flour, yeast, sugar and salt. Add the warm milk and melted butter and mix to a soft dough.
- Knead for 8–10 minutes until smooth and stretchy.
- First rise. Cover and leave in a warm place for about 1 hour, until doubled.
- Shape. Punch the dough down and divide into 12 pieces. Roll each into a smooth ball and place in a greased 23 × 33 cm baking tray, slightly apart.
- Second rise. Cover and leave for 30 minutes, until puffy and touching. Heat the oven to 180°C.
- Add the lolo. Stir the lolo and sugar together until the sugar dissolves, and pour it evenly over and around the buns.
- Bake for 25–30 minutes until the tops are golden and the coconut cream has thickened around the base. Put a tray underneath in case it bubbles over.
- Serve warm, spooning the sticky coconut sauce over the buns.
Tips
- Use full-fat lolo for the richest sauce. Fresh lolo from a coconut scraper is best of all.
- Warm, not hot: the milk should feel just warm on your wrist, or it will kill the yeast.
- Short on time? Use a ready-made bread dough and start from step 4.
Frequently asked questions
Are lolo buns the same as Samoan pani popo?
They're very similar: both are soft buns baked in sweet coconut cream. Recipes vary a little from island to island and family to family.
How do I store lolo buns?
Best eaten the same day. Keep leftovers covered in the fridge for up to 2 days and warm them before serving.
Bake it with Domalco
Find baking trays and cake tins, parats and coconut scrapers at our Ba and Lautoka stores, or shop online with free delivery on orders over $100.