Super Quick Tip: How to Toast Shredded Coconut

   Don’t be like me.  Don’t avoid recipes with toasted coconut, because you think it’s too tricky or that you might burn your house down.  That’s just silly.  Instead, be brave,  Try something new.  Surprise yourself.  It’s not too tricky, and you won’t burn your house down.  (Where did those silly thoughts come from, anyway?)

   Here’s the run-down:  Pre-heat your oven to 350 degrees.  Line a baking sheet with parchment paper.  Take one cup of shredded coconut and spread it out on the sheet.  Place the sheet in the oven for 3 minutes.  Then, pull it out of the oven and stir it around, keeping it evenly spread on the sheet.  (It won’t have browned yet.  That’s okay.  You’ll get there.)

   Put the sheet back into the oven for 3 more minutes.  Pull it out of the oven, and stir it around again.  (See how it’s starting to brown?)  Put it back into the oven, this time for 2 minutes.  Since oven temperatures slightly vary, it might be done now.  Or, you might need to stir it around again and put it back into your oven for another minute or so.  Watch it carefully, though.  Once the coconut starts to brown, it can quickly burn.  As long as you keep a close eye on it, you should be good to go.

   Isn’t it fun to try new things?  Have you ever shied away from baking something because you weren’t sure how to go about preparing one of the components, like toasted coconut?