toasted coconut milk toast

Mmmmm those mornings. The ones where your eyes open to the sunlight streaming through the windows instead of that awful default alarm on your phone. Where you sigh into your pillow, turn on the other side, smile and close your eyes again just because you can. Those mornings when you get out of bed with a nest on your head and pillow-wrinkles indented into your face and it doesn't matter because you have nowhere to go. 

This recipe is for those mornings.

  Fresh challah

  topped generously with butter, coconut sugar and coconut shreds

toasted until deep golden, bubbly and caramelized

sliced into little coconut croutons

baked a second time for maximum toastiness

and doused in ice cold milk

soaking into the soft insides and clashing with the shattery-crunchy crust.

Simple and straightforward to make, and at the same time rich, indulgent and something you want to take your time really savoring rather than choking down as you put on your shoes and accuse various family members of taking the keys.

Do yourself a favor and save this recipe for one of those mornings.

Cancel all your plans, leave your pajamas on and don't you dare comb your hair.


-Michelle


Toasted Coconut Milk Toast
yield: 4 toasts
time: 10 minutes prep + 11 minutes cooking = 21 minutes total

Notes:
The beauty of this is how easy it is to adapt and make new, creative combinations as you please. I think the coconut sugar-shredded coconut combo is incredible, but if you are one of those strange people who hate coconut, try something else! I am thinking white sugar, orange zest and ginger... or  brown sugar with chocolate milk poured on top? Let me know what you try!

The amounts of sugar and coconut given are approximate; they will depend on both the sizes of your bread slices and your personal preference. 

4 slices of bread (I used challah)
4 tablespoons soft butter
1/2 cup shredded coconut
1/2 cup coconut sugar
1 1/3 cups cold milk

Preheat your oven to 375 F.

Butter one side of each bread slice evenly.

Uniformly sugar the buttered side of each slice. The way I did this is reminiscent of making glittery elementary school art projects- dump a bunch of sugar onto the bread and then pour the excess off back into the sugar bowl.

Sprinkle on the coconut- I used a good 2 tablespoonfuls on each slice.

Sprinkle some more sugar on top of the coconut. I find that this helps to bind the whole lovely mess together a bit more.

Put the breads directly onto your oven rack and slide them into the oven. Bake for 3-4 minutes, until the tops are a deep golden brown. Watch carefully- the sugar burns very quickly and different ovens will have slightly different temperatures!

Let cool slightly and use a serrated knife to slice the toasts into approximate 1.5 inch squares.

Put the squares on a baking sheet and bake at 350 for another 5-7 minutes. Again, check in every minute or so to make sure nothing is burning.

Let cool slightly, distribute the squares into four bowls and pour 1/3 cup of the cold milk over each bowl. Eat immediately!