Toasted fresh coconut shards

The toasted fresh coconut shards are perfect to sprinkle over desserts, such as the food dept's cream lime pies, or can be eaten on their own as a healthy snack.

Credit: Petrina Tinslay

• prep

  10 minutes

• cook

  30 minutes

• difficulty

  Easy

Ingredients

• 1 coconut

Instructions

Preheat the oven to 200°C.

Place the fresh coconut in a mortar and hit firmly around the centre of the coconut with the pestle until the shells cracks, you may need to rotate the coconut several times. The coconut water inside is a delicious and hydrating drink.

Place the cracked coconut halves on a tray and bake for 20 minutes. Remove from the oven and allow to cool. Reduce oven to 180°C.

Use a bread and butter knife to prize the flesh from the shell. Using a vegetable peeler shave into long shards.

Place shards on a lined baking tray and bake for 10 minutes or until golden brown. Cool and store in an airtight container.

Photography by Petrina Tinslay, styling by David Morgan and art direction by Anne Marie Cummins.

Cook's Notes

Oven temperatures are for conventional; if using fan-forced (convection), reduce the temperature by 20˚C. | We use Australian tablespoons and cups: 1 teaspoon equals 5 ml; 1 tablespoon equals 20 ml; 1 cup equals 250 ml. | All herbs are fresh (unless specified) and cups are lightly packed. | All vegetables are medium size and peeled, unless specified. | All eggs are 55-60 g, unless specified.