Coconut candy - What is it and how is it made?

Coconut is used for a variety of purposes such as for cooking oil production, toffee or candy, and as an ingredient for starch biscuits popularly known in Ghana as Ayigbe biscuit. These many uses of coconut are the reasons why this post is absolutely relevant one that will disclose a kind of candy made from coconut.

Coconut candy is made from basically two ingredients.

Procedure

Two major ingredients are needed to prepare coconut candy and those ingredients are:

1. Coconut(dry or semi-dry)
2. Sugar

The coconut is cut, removed from its kernel or shell and then washed nicely before proceeding to the next stage. For this candy, no particular kind of coconut is a strict requirement except that a fresh coconut with a very soft nut cannot be used. It is the hard nut that is actually made use of for this candy.

Dry coconut, freshly cut. After it is removed from the kernel, it is washed nicely before grating

With a good metal grate, the coconut is now grated into smaller pieces. Alternatively, if the coconut is plenty, grating at a mill is the best option. Care must be taken whilst grating from getting hurt by the grate. 

Grating the coconut to make it ready for the candy

Once the entire coconut is grated, we are half-way done since grating the coconut can be cumbersome especially if the coconut is a bit high in quantity.

Grated coconut in a bowl

A clean empty pan is placed on fire and allowed to heat to evaporate every water droplet and then sugar is poured into the pan. The sugar is allowed to melt and turn brown. As it melts, it is stirred to ensure it uniformly turns brown and once the colour is okay, the grated coconut is poured into the melted sugar over the fire and stirred very well until it mixes uniformly. At this point, the grated coconut begins to look brownish. It is allowed to stay on fire a little before taking it off. It is now allowed to cool a little and then it is formed into balls.

The coconut candy which is now shaped circular by the use of the hand to do so can be air dried a little to make it harden .

How coconut candy is preserved

From the towns and villages where I know people who sell these coconut candies, they ensure the candies are hard enough before storing in plastic or airtight containers. Without the candy dry either under the sun a little or under a considerable temperature to harden, it might not last longer since too much moisture might be present.

Why try to make coconut candy at home

Surprisingly, many people do not know something of this kind exists and might even be afraid to try tasting. If you are a food lover who is curious to try new things, hesitate not to try this amazing candy. Maybe there are some coconuts lying there and you probably can't find use for them, make this for the kids and they will forever be appreciative.