How To: Fresh Coconut Curls

I'm not typically the type to shy away from a challenge in the kitchen, but working with fresh coconut has intimidated me for quite some time. I've tried working with fresh coconut a couple times, and it never seemed to turn out. I decided to try a different method and it worked great! You can definitely taste how fresh these coconut curls are compared to store bought. Turns out, the whole process is really simple. I know this is my go-to method for when I need a fresh coconut topping from here on out.

I am aware some grocery stores sell pre-cut coconuts to make the process more simple, but for this tutorial I am going to use just a regular, whole coconut.

Time to start! Start out with taking a clean screwdriver and poking a whole through the two softest eyes.

Drain out the coconut water/milk into a fine strainer over a bowl. Discard or save for a later use.

Place the coconut on a baking sheet and bake at 350 for 35-40 minutes or until cracked in multiple places. Set aside until cool enough to work with.

Wrap the coconut with a towel and hit with a hammer several times in the same place to break it in half or into several large pieces.

Pry away the coconut from the shell (I used a knife to get around the edge of the coconut.)

Use a vegetable peeler to peel away the tough, dark, outer skin.

Rinse the coconut and vegetable pieces with cold water. Shave along the broken edges of the coconut to make long curls.

Transfer to a skilled over medium and toast with 1 tsp of coconut oil. Stir occasionally until browned to  your liking. Use to garnish desserts, etc. as desired.

Source: Annie's Eats