In the Samoan culture, there are are a wide variety of foods to love and make. From the famous sapasui to palusami, what is there not to love? Today, we will be focusing on the panipopo, a Samoan pastry that is a fan favorite. The panipopo, in essence, are warm rolls of bread, covered in coconut sauce. Here are the ingredients and the recipe to making your delicious Samoan pastry.

• One package (2 1/4 teaspoon) Active dry yeast
• 3 tablespoons Warm water 105F- 115 F
• 1 can coconut milk 14-15 oz divided in half
• 4 tablespoons (56.8 grams) unsalted butter
• 1 large egg
• ¼ cup (30 grams) powdered milk I used full fat milk
• ½ cup (100 grams) Sugar
• ½-1 teaspoon (2.84 grams) salt
• 3 1/2 cups (448 grams) to 3 3/4 cups all-purpose flour
• 2 -3 tablespoon (28.12 grams to 42.18 grams) raw sugar optional for the top

Here are some things to note for the recipe:

1. Make sure the water is not too hot. You don’t want it warmer than body temperature.
2. Divide the coconut milk in half 1 cup for the dough and the other cup to use for baking.
3. A soft dough will firm up as it rises the first time, so try not to add too much flour. It’s better to err on the side of not adding enough flour than adding too much–you can always add more flour, but you can’t take it away once it’s in the dough.
4. For your bread to be fluffy, it has to double in size- be patient with it. This one took about 3 hours to double in size. Sometimes even more. It depends on the weather.
5. Go easy on the flour – Try not to add too much. It’s better to err on the side of less starch and more. Remember you can always add more flour, but you can’t take it away once it’s in the dough.
6. If your bread does not rise in an hour, try turning on the oven to warm for 10 minutes. Then, turn it off and let the dough rise in the oven.
7. If all fails mix rapid rise yeast into the dough and knead.