Fig Coconut Bread

With Sean Demers

An original recipe of combining coconut and figs to make a delicious bread for diner, breakfast or a snack. Executive Chef Sean Demers of Keon’s Bistro uses this bread as an accompaniment to pan seared Scallops in the restaurant and at home he uses it to make French toast.

It is a very rich and easy bread to make. First you want to combine shortening with cream cheese, incorporating them together. To this mixture you want to add the Coconut milk and mix well. Add 1 egg and slowly beat. The egg helps bind it all together. Add coconut, figs and other ingredients and mix until smooth. Bake at 375 degrees 12 to 15 minutes. Use toothpick to see if it is clean, and when it is the bread is ready.

Here is an important tip for making this bread. Do not over mix the dough after adding the baking soda and baking powder since this will cause a change to way they both make the bread rise. If you do over mix, the batter and the bread will rise and then immediately fall while still in the oven. Also, whatever pan or muffin tin you use be sure not to overfill with batter, as the dough will be rising.

This bread is versatile so if you do not want to use coconut you can substitute 5 ounces of granulated sugar instead of the coconut milk, and of course leave out the dried coconut. Add the figs or other dried fruit instead.

Fresh figs are best and California ones are usually available from June to September. Some European varieties can be found throughout the fall but the rest of the year you will probably use dry figs. Dried figs are always available throughout the year. When purchasing dried figs, make sure that they are still relatively soft and have a soft and pleasant smell. Remember that dried figs can just be eaten as is or used in a recipe such as this bread. If you want to you can simmer them for several minutes in water or fruit juice to make them plumper and juicier.

Ingredients

3 tablespoons shortening (Crisco)
2 1/4 ounces cream cheese, softened
4 ounces coconut milk (16ounces)
1 egg
½ cup figs, dried, chopped small
1/3 cup shredded coconut
1 teaspoon     vanilla extract
1 cup flour
½ teaspoon baking soda
¼ teaspoon baking powder
1 tablespoon light brown sugar

Instructions

1. Mix Shortening and cream cheese till smooth.
2. Add coconut milk and egg, blend till smooth.
3. Stir in figs and shredded coconut.
4. Add remaining ingredients and mix until smooth.
5. Scoop 6 ounces of batter into greased 6 ounce mini loaf pans. Bake at 375 degrees for 12-15 minutes or until a toothpick comes out clean.

Allow to cool and then slice into ½” slices. 

Recipe courtesy of Sean Demers, Keon’s Bistro, 2012.

Sean has worked in restaurants for 13 years and has developed his skills through hands on experience, reading books, and learning from his mentors.
Sean started his career at age 13 at the Belly Buster Diner in Lowell where he worked for four years. He began as a dishwasher and soon took on prep cook and line cook duties. In the years following, Sean went on to work as a line cook at Chili?s and Cobblestones in Lowell. At age 19 he was hired in his first sous chef?s position at Jazz Wine in Tyngsboro where he worked for three years.
In 2006, at age 22, Sean was hired as a sous chef at Keon?s 105 Bistro in Haverhill, Massachusetts and after only two years, he was promoted to the executive chef position. While in his first year as the chef of Keon?s, the restaurant was awarded the RAMAE?s awards by the Massachusetts Retail Association. The following year ?Keon?s Kitchen? was published featuring some of Sean?s best recipes.
Sean has been featured on Fox news ?Zip Trip?, ?Phantom Gourmet? and Billy Costa?s ?T.V Diner?. He has done cooking segments for the local cable channels and is a feature chef each year at Hampton Beach?s seafood festival.
Sean creativity is demonstrated each month at Keon?s monthly wine dinners. The dinners feature 5 courses paired with 5 pairings of wines. These dinners have been consecutively selling out for years.
Age 26, he lives in Haverhill, Massachusetts.