While coconut oil is taking the world by storm and is becoming a staple in most kitchens, coconut butter has yet to reach the limelight. In actual fact, organic coconut butter deserves its place on the shelf in your kitchen cupboard right next to coconut oil.
Both products are a kitchen necessity, as each has a very different taste and are both distinctive products with many different uses. So, what makes coconut butter so special? This article shines the spotlight on the magic of coconut butter and gives you the inspiration to use it in some delicious recipes.
What Is The Difference Between Coconut Oil and Coconut Butter?
While coconut oil is extracted from the meat of a coconut, coconut butteris the flesh of the coconut that has been ground up into a creamy butter-style texture. While the oil is just extracted, with coconut butter, you have all of the fibre, fat and nutrients of the coconut in a creamy, soft texture that’s delectably spreadable and with an incredibly intense flavour.
With coconut butter, it is great as a standalone product. It has a robust taste and silky texture that makes it perfect for spreading on toast for a delicious coconutty treat. It complements both sweet and savoury dishes, from a pancake spread or added to porridge for increased creaminess and sweetness or even used to roast vegetables. Its nutty texture works particularly well with sweet potatoes.
What Does Coconut Butter Taste Like?
While coconut oil is quite subtle and versatile, coconut butter has intense and strong coconut taste but isn’t too sweet, which makes it perfect for including in cooking. If you’re a fan of coconuts, this is definitely a product you need to have in your store cupboard.
What Are The Benefits Of Coconut Butter?
• It contains essential potassium, magnesium and iron
• It’s fibrous, which is great for digestion
• Boosts your immune system with high levels of lauric acid
• Kickstarts your metabolism; giving you increased energy and helps with weight loss
• Makes you feel fuller for longer
• It's high in calcium and essential amino acids
• It’s incredibly versatile.
Five Delicious Coconut Butter Recipes
1.Banana Bread
Mix four bananas with four eggs, four tablespoons of coconut oil and 150g of coconut butter altogether. Once blended, add 80g of coconut flour, one tablespoon of cinnamon and one teaspoon of bicarbonate of soda, baking powder and vanilla extract to the batter. Add a pinch of salt to the mix, give it a final stir and pour into a greased loaf tin.
Bake at 180 degrees Celsius for one hour or until a skewer inserted into the middle comes out clean. Once cool, slice and spread a slice with more delicious coconut butter.
2.Ice Cream With Caramel Sauce
Heavily whisk three egg yolks with a tablespoon of honey and a tablespoon of vanilla extract. In a saucepan, heat 250ml of coconut milk and gradually add the egg mix to the coconut milk to create a custard, keep whisking until the liquid turns thick enough to coat the back of a spoon.
Once thick, sieve and cool the mixture in the fridge and then transfer to an ice cream maker and leave to set. Next, make the caramel sauce by combining two tablespoons of coconut butter and 75g of maple syrup. Simmer for five minutes and then whisk in a couple of tablespoons of coconut cream until it is a thick caramel consistency. Pour over a bowl of ice cream.
3.Roasted Butternut Squash
Half a squash and scoop out the seeds, spread a little coconut butter on the flesh and cook at 200 degrees Celcius in the oven for 45 minutes or until the butternut squash is soft. This will vary depending on its size. Once the squash is cooked, top with toasted flaked almonds, coconut butter and a sprinkling of sea salt and nutmeg.
4.Chocolate Coconut Truffles
Warm 175g of coconut butter with half a tablespoon of honey and three tablespoons of cocoa powder, add a teaspoon of vanilla extract and combine well. Roll the mixture into truffle-sized balls and cover in desiccated coconut. Leave the truffles to harden in the freezer and melt chocolate. Coat the truffles in melted chocolate and leave to set on baking paper. Leave out to set at room temperature then take a bite.
5.Ginger Fudge
Mix 350g of coconut butter with 350g of coconut oil, add 175g of honey and pulse in the food processor until well combined. Next, add one tablespoon of freshly grated ginger and mix well to taste, add more ginger for personal preference. Smooth the mixture into a square baking tin that has been greased and lined and leave to set in the fridge. Once hard, remove from the refrigerator and cut into squares, serve the fudge at room temperature.
This is just the start of using of coconut butter in your cooking, try it today and see what your favourite coconut butter recipes are, that is if you can resist just eating it straight from the jar!
Robert alleson