Use regular sweetened condensed milk and unsalted butter if a dairy-free result isn't important to you. See the main post for a video primer for shaping the rolls. Check out this sweetened condensed coconut milk recipe, if you want to go extra DIY.
Servings: 8
Ingredients
1teaspoonsugar
1cuplukewarm water
1packet(2 ¼ teaspoons) fast-acting “instant” yeast, such as SAF Red Star brand
⅔cupsweetened condensed coconut milk
1 ½tablespooncoconut oil (virgin or refined),melted and at room temperature
1teaspoonfine sea salt
3 ¼cups(16.25 oz) bread flour, plus more for dusting
1tablespoonsweetened condensed coconut milk diluted with 2 to 3 teaspoons water(aim for a brushable consistency)
Instructions
To make the dough in a stand mixer, in the mixer bowl, dissolve the sugar in ⅓ cup of the water. Sprinkle on the yeast, stir to combine and let sit to soften, about 3 minutes.
Add the remaining ⅔ cup water and the sweetened condensed coconut milk, coconut oil, and salt. With the paddle attachment in place, run the machine on “stir” or low for about 15 seconds to combine. Pause the machine, and add the flour. Run the machine on low for about 1 minute, or until a shaggy dough forms. Turn off the machine and let sit, uncovered, for 5 minutes to further hydrate.
Meanwhile, grease a medium or large bowl with coconut or regular oil (whichever is handiest) and set aside.
Remove the paddle attachment and attach the dough hook. Run the mixer on medium for several minutes to combine the dough into a smooth, elastic dough. On my machine, the dough eventually sticks and climbs up the dough hook. Transfer the dough onto a lightly floured work surface and knead it to form a smooth roundish shape, about 1 minute. Press on it with a finger and the slightly sticky, somewhat soft dough (think a Post-it) will gently spring back.
To make the dough by hand, use a large bowl, combine the ingredients as instructed but stir the flour in with a sturdy spatula. Rest the shaggy result then knead the dough initially in the bowl, and when it comes together, transfer the dough to a lightly floured work surface. Hand knead it for 8 to 10 minutes until smooth and elastic. You may have to add a bit of water (moisten your hands to add that clinging moisture).
Put the dough into the greased bowl, cover with plastic wrap, then set in a warm, draft-free place to rise until doubled, about 1 hour. Punch down the dough, then pull up each of the four corners and fold it to the center. When done, flip the dough over so the folds face the bowl bottom. Recover and let rise again in a warm place, about 45 minutes. Or refrigerate overnight, bringing it back to room temperature before shaping and baking.
Grease a 9-inch square baking pan (or similar size pan). If you want, like the bottom with parchment and let the paper extend about 1 inch beyond the pan rim for easier removal later.
Turn the dough onto your work surface. Cut it in half. Working with one of halves, shape it into a rope about 1 ½ to 2 inches wide. Cut the dough rope crosswise into 6 pieces. (If you want smaller rolls, make the rope smaller and longer to cut 8, 10 or 12 pieces.) Roughly roll each dough piece into a ball, then pull, tuck, and gather the edges of dough toward the center to form a small mound. Aim to create a taught small ball (see the video in the main post for guidance, if needed). Put the dough balls, seam side down, in a 9-inch square pan, arranging them as rows. Repeat with the other half of the dough.
Cover with plastic wrap (lightly oil it if you fear the dough touching the plastic), then let rise in a warm spot until doubled, about 1 hour. Roughly 15 minutes before the rolls have risen enough, preheat the oven to 350°F, with a rack in the middle position. Brush with half of the diluted condense coconut milk. Bake for 20 to 25 minutes, until golden brown on top.
Cool on a rack for 5 minutes before brushing the remaining diluted sweetened condensed milk on the top for a lightly sweet finish. Let cool for 20 to 30 minutes before removing the rolls by inverting the pan and quickly flipping the rolls back onto their bottoms (or, lift the parchment out of the pan). Finish cooling on the rack. Enjoy warm or at room temperature.