Can You Make Coconut Flour from Desiccated Coconut?

Coconut flour is one of the most common ingredients used in desserts and many other foods. This type of flour is usually made from dried and ground coconut. But many of you wonder whether you can use desiccated coconut instead of grated coconut. And yes, it’s possible to use desiccated coconut to make coconut flour.

What is Coconut Flour?

Before knowing how to make coconut flour from desiccated coconut, you should know what coconut flour is. Coconut flour originally came from the Philippines. The coconut flesh is taken, grated, and squeezed in the manufacturing process to produce coconut milk.

But now, many people make coconut flour with desiccated coconut. Coconut flour has a powder form, while desiccated coconut has long coconut grain form, similar to grated cheese but smaller.

Coconut flour’s texture resembles wheat flour in the form of fine white powder. This flour is claimed to have many health benefits that are better than regular flour. Coconut flour is also known to be 100% gluten-free.

Benefits of Coconut Flour

In addition to its benefits as an alternative to wheat flour, coconut flour offers many health advantages, similar to rice flour or wheat flour. This flour is high in fiber and gluten-free, making it suitable for consumption by people who want to lead a healthy lifestyle. Here are some benefits you can get from coconut flour:

1. Maintain Normal Blood Sugar Levels

A quarter cup (30 grams) of coconut flour contains 40% of your daily fiber needs, which is even ten times more than wheat flour. Due to its high fiber content, coconut flour helps maintain normal blood sugar levels. This is because fiber slows down the absorption of sugar into the bloodstream, making it suitable for people with diabetes.

2. Helps Fight Infections

Research published in the Asian Pacific Journal of Tropical Medicine suggests that coconuts can help fight infections. Coconuts contain lauric acid and monolaurin, which are effective against Staphylococcus aureus bacterial infections and Candida albicans fungi.

Related Article: Discover Dry Coconut Benefits for Health and Beauty Care

3. Improve Heart Health

Coconut flour has benefits for heart health. Consuming 15-25 grams of coconut fiber daily can help lower bad cholesterol (low-density lipoprotein/LDL) levels by up to 9% and triglycerides by up to 22%.

4. Great for Weight Loss

In addition to fiber, the protein content in coconut flour is considered supportive of a healthy weight loss process. Fiber and protein help the stomach feel fuller for longer, reducing excessive hunger.

5. Maintain Digestive Health

Coconut flour is perfect for the digestive system. Its high fiber content, especially insoluble fiber, can increase the amount of stool and facilitate smooth food movement through the intestines. This can reduce the risk of constipation.

How To Use Coconut Flour

You can use coconut flour for various sweet and savory food menus, especially for gluten-free people. Some types of dishes that you can prepare using this flour include pastry, bread, pancakes, muffins, donuts, martabak manis (an Indonesian dessert), soup, and stew.

However, remember that this flour tends to be denser and absorbs more water than other wheat flours, so not all desserts and cakes can use coconut flour. In this article, we also provide you with a coconut flour pancake recipe below.

Coconut Pancake Ingredients

• 3 tbsp coconut flour
• Two eggs, separate
• 1 tsp gluten-free baking powder
• 150 ml milk of your choice
• 1 tsp cinnamon
• 2 tsp maple syrup
• 150g frozen fruit

Related Article: Popular Method of How to Make Desiccated Coconut from Scratch

Coconut Pancake Recipe

1. Beat the egg whites until stiff. Place the coconut flour, cinnamon, baking powder, egg yolks, milk, 1 tsp maple syrup, and a pinch of salt in a bowl and mix until the mixture is smooth.

2. Heat a non-stick skillet over medium heat. Add tablespoons of batter at a time to make small pancakes. Cook on the skillet until bubbles appear, which takes around 1-2 minutes. Flip and cook for another 30 seconds. Repeat with the remaining batter.

3. Meanwhile, microwave the remaining berries and syrup for 2 minutes, stirring halfway through, to make a compote.

4. Serve your pancakes with maple syrup and top with the berries.

How to Make Coconut Flour from Desiccated Coconut

Making coconut flour from desiccated coconut is relatively easy. Moreover, desiccated coconut can be found easily in supermarkets.

First, you must buy a desiccated coconut at a store or supermarket and blend it finely. But, you can also make it from fresh coconut with these steps :

• Prepare the coconut, remove the water from the coconut, and split the coconut.
• Take the coconut flesh and grate it. After that, squeeze the grated coconut until it is scorched.
• After you feel your grated coconut is dry enough, spread it on a tray and dry it in the sun. You can also use a dehydrator or use an oven. Unfortunately, if you use the oven, there is a risk that your grated coconut will burn, so you have to pay extra attention on that.
• After drying, let your desiccated coconut cool first.
• After that, blend your desiccated coconut until entirely smooth. The texture will be better if you use a food processor.
• That’s it! Your coconut flour is now ready to use.
• Want to Make Your Coconut Flour?

Where Can I Find Desiccated Coconut for Coconut Flour?

Are you searching for desiccated coconut suppliers? You might want to consider buying from Indonesia, the largest coconut-producing country known for its high-quality products. Discover how to buy coconut products from Indonesia!

FAQ

Coconut flour for what?

Besides being an essential ingredient in cake making, coconut flour is often used to thicken soups and stews.

Is coconut flour healthy?

Coconut flour is healthier than rice flour or wheat flour. This flour is high in fiber and does not contain gluten, so it is suitable for consumption by people who want to lead a healthy lifestyle.

How long does coconut flour last?

If stored properly, coconut flour can last up to a year.

Can you turn a desiccated coconut into coconut flour?

Yes, you can turn a desiccated coconut into coconut flour by grinding or blending it until it turns powdery.

Can you make coconut flour by grinding coconut flakes?

Coconut flakes can also be used as coconut flour. But make sure the coconut flakes are dehydrated, or the water content has run out before grinding. The coconut flakes will turn into coconut paste if there is still moisture in the flakes.

Can you use desiccated coconut as flour?

Yes, for some foods that require a coarser flour texture, you can use desiccated coconut as flour.