Shredded coconut is thin pieces of coconut sold in sweetened or unsweetened varieties. It’s used in many recipes and can be bought in stores or made at home. Organic options are available, and some brands may be treated with chemicals. Freshly prepared shredded coconut can be frozen and is often preferred over store-bought versions.
Shredded coconut consists of thin pieces of coconut, usually sold in dried form. It’s also possible to shred the coconut with freshly grated coconut in a blender, but not everyone has access to fresh coconuts. Typically packs or loose shredded coconut differ from coconut flakes which tend to be a few inches or so wider.
Cooks use shredded coconut in a vast number of recipes. It can easily be a topping on simple sandwiches like peanut butter and honey, it can add to the taste of baked goods, or it can lend extra flavor to savory foods like curries. Some cookies and candies couldn’t be made without this ingredient, and coconut cake usually contains the grated shape in the cake and frosting.
In stores, buyers can find two varieties of shredded coconut. These can be sweetened or unsweetened. Which is appropriate really depends on the recipe. Most savory recipes wouldn’t benefit from sweetened forms of coconut chunks, and a sweet recipe might be too sweet if it calls for unsweetened coconut. It’s really a matter of choice when using coconut for toppings, and people should try both to see which they prefer.
Along with sweetened or unsweetened, shoppers in health food stores can additionally choose between organic and non-organic coconut. Organic varieties tend to be more expensive because organic growing methods can produce low-yielding crops. However, some people believe they are superior on nutritional grounds and may be of slightly higher quality.
Shredded coconut from stores can be treated with chemicals to keep it moist. Other brands eschew the chemical treatment and will produce much drier forms of coconut. When this is the case and cooks have purchased untreated versions, the coconut may need to be soaked briefly to bring back some of its moisture content. When making fresh shredded coconut at home, you don’t need to soak the coconut.
Typical sized coconut yield is about 3 to 4 cups of shredded or shredded coconut. In stores, the packaging sizes for dried forms vary. Packaged and freshly prepared shredded or shredded coconut should be refrigerated. Some people freeze the shredded fresh forms, and it may be possible to find frozen versions, especially in Asian grocery stores. Because this version isn’t dried, many find it superior to store-bought packaged forms that aren’t frozen.
Protect your devices with Threat Protection by NordVPN