Salara (Guyanese Coconut Roll) - #BreadBakers

I have been eyeing this coconut roll for about 6 years. I first saw the Trinidadian version which is often made with a flaky pastry and doesn't typically colour the filling. This Guyanese version uses a yeasted dough and makes the filling a very bright red. Apparently, it's not a salara if it is not RED. I resisted to urge to just make it barely pink. The roll is easy to make and tastes wonderful. I really hope I am doing the real thing justice and can't wait to head to Guyana to taste one. 

The Bread Bakers are playing with coconut today so be sure to scroll down to see how they used this amazing ingredient. 

Salara

Ingredients

Filling 

2 cups grated fresh coconut

1/2 cup sugar 

1/2 teaspoon cinnamon 

1/4 teaspoon nutmeg 

1 teaspoon vanilla

red food colouring 

Dough 

3 cups flour 

1/4 cup sugar

2 teaspoons instant yeast 

1 teaspoon salt 

1/4 cup shortening

1/2 cup milk 

1/4 cup water 

1 egg

1 tablespoon butter, melted

1 egg white plus 1 teaspoon water

Directions

Mix the coconut, sugar, cinnamon, nutmeg, and vanilla. Next, add enough food colouring to make a bright red filling. Set aside for an hour. 

Whisk flour, sugar, and yeast. Cut shortening into the flour mixture. Add milk, water,  and egg. Knead until it forms a soft smooth dough. The dough should be tacky but not sticky. Place in an oiled bowl and allow to rise at room temperature until doubled or overnight in the refrigerator. 

When the dough is ready, divide the dough into two pieces. Roll each piece into a 12" x 8" rectangle. Brush each with melted butter then evenly spread the filling over the dough. Leave a border of about an inch on all sides. 

Roll up the dough to seal the ends. Place on a parchment-lined half sheet pan and allow to rise until doubled. This should take about 45 minutes. 

About 20 minutes before the dough is ready, preheat the oven to 375 F. 

Mix the egg white with a teaspoon of water. Brush the risen loaves with the egg wash and place in the oven. Bake for 20-30 minutes or until golden. 

Allow the loaves to cool completely before slicing. 

Notes 

• If using dried sweetened coconut, you will not need to add sugar. 
• For the fresh coconut, you can add up to a cup of sugar. 
• Removing fresh coconut from the shell is not for the faint of heart. This Caribbean girl is just not good at it. 
• The filling will be very wet after it has sat for a while. Be sure not to add too much liquid to the dough as you don't want a soggy mess. 
• I had some red liquid seep from my second loaf. But after it was baked, you wouldn't have known. 
• I used a whole egg for the egg wash so my crust was a bit darker.

  

• Chinese Coconut Buns from Karen's Kitchen Stories
• Coco Bread from A Day in the Life on the Farm
• Jamaican Coco Bread from Palatable Pastime
• Low Carb Coconut Flour & Oat Fiber Flatbread from Sneha's Recipe
• Salara (Guyanese Coconut Roll) from Passion Kneaded
• Samoan Coconut Rolls (Pani Popo) from A Messy Kitchen
• Vegan Coconut and Herb Dinner Rolls from Magical Ingredients
• Zucchini Coconut Lemon Muffins from Cook with Renu

#BreadBakers is a group of bread-loving bakers who get together once a month to bake bread with a common ingredient or theme. Follow our Pinterest board right here. Links are also updated each month on this home page. We take turns hosting each month and choosing the theme/ingredient.