How To Make Nigerian Coconut Candy

There are many snacks referred to as coconut candy, but this sweet, chewy Coconut Candy is the one we make in Nigeria. It is a very easy snack to make, if you remove the work that goes into grating the fresh coconut meat.

Here’s how to make Nigerian Coconut Candy:

Ingredients

• 1 fresh coconut
• 200g icing or powdered sugar
• Water

Coconut candy. Photo: Dobbys signature

Directions

1. Break the coconut, making sure to collect the coconut juice from it. Set the juice aside.
2. Remove the meat from the shells and grate the meat into small pieces. Make sure to grate along the meat of the coconut rather than across it. This is so that you’ll have long thin coconut pieces rather than a mass of grated coconut.
3. Pour the coconut juice into the pot.
4. Add the sugar and stir.
5. Add the grated coconut and stir.
6. Add water to the same level as the grated coconut; cover the pot and set to boil at high heat.
7. Once the contents start boiling, stir continuously till all the water is just about evaporated.
8. Reduce to low heat and continue stirring; stir until the sugar caramelises and the contents start sticking together.
9. Keep stirring till the coconut pieces start turning slightly brown.
10. Turn off the heat and scoop the very hot coconut candy onto a flat plate and leave to cool down. The coconut candy should be sticky when cold. It should not be dry.
11. Serve as a snack or store in the freezer (for up to a month).

Tips:
You can serve with chocolate or eat like that.
You can adjust the sugar used to your taste.
The best way to wash the caramel off the pot is with very hot water as soon as you’re done making the snack.

Enjoy!