Sweet Coconut Bread Twists: Soft, Golden Brazilian-Style Rolls Made With Sweetened Condensed Milk

Ingredients for Sweet Coconut Bread Twists

This recipe makes about 14 twists.

For the dough

• ½ cup sweetened condensed milk: about half of a 14-ounce can.
• ½ cup warm whole milk: about 105°F, comfortably warm to the touch.
• 2 ¼ teaspoons instant or active dry yeast: one packet.
• 2 large eggs: at room temperature.
• ⅓ cup vegetable oil.
• ½ teaspoon salt.
• 3 ½ to 4 cups all-purpose flour: add gradually until the dough is soft and no longer sticky.

For the glaze and topping

• ¼ cup sweetened condensed milk: from the same can.
• 2 tablespoons milk.
• 1 egg yolk beaten with 1 tablespoon milk: to brush before baking.
• ¾ cup sweetened shredded coconut.

A Few Words About the Ingredients

Sweetened condensed milk is the star here. It sweetens the dough and keeps the bread moist and tender for days. You will use about three quarters of one can for the dough and the glaze; the rest is lovely stirred into coffee.

Instant yeast can be mixed directly with the other ingredients. If you use active dry yeast, stir it into the warm milk first and let it sit for 5 minutes, until foamy.

The amount of flour varies with the weather and the size of your eggs, so add it slowly. The dough should feel soft and smooth, like an earlobe, not stiff.

Sweetened shredded coconut is in the baking aisle. For a less sweet topping, use unsweetened coconut flakes. In Brazil, many cooks also fill the twists with strips of guava paste, which you can find in the Latin foods section. Plain all-purpose flour gives the softest result; bread flour makes the twists a little chewier.