I recall a posting of this as a recent thread. Suggest you do a search.

KS,

I tried a search on it but all the recipes were bananna-based or had a pineapple base to them (Pineapple Colada). If you can find the thread please let me know! =)

Here's a wild thought: Can I use coconut flavoring as a base for, say, pear jam or something else to give the coconut flavor? If so, any ideas on what to use as a base?

Just stumped here and curious how they did it!

-Laura

It may have been a recipe using the coconut as well as pineapple, etc. I bought a bunch of mixes of coconut cream pie. It was the Banquet brand, called 'Desert Bakes', but there was no baking of anything necessary. These were at Big Lots and had a powder mix you added water to and whipped it for several minutes is a light fluffy filling. It included a graham crust and some toasted coconut to sprinkle on top. It was so good, I bought about 10 boxes of it so I could enjoy them as a quick desert. To enhance the flavor, I added some coconut powder which is sold at some Tai or Asian grocery stores.
Coconut milk isn't like dairy, so its OK, but it would need some added acid. Do you recall the ingredients on the jar? I would expect it had some kind of added fruit juice of some kind.

remember it had Coconut, sugar, and water in it and I think that was it. I don't remember any additional acid- thatz what was so odd. Maybe glucose as an additional preservative?
I found this on an Egyptian website in my 'google quest' but question the knowledge of the source and would want to pass on the nuts:
COCONUT JAM

1 pound flaked unsweetened coconut 2 tablespoons orange\-blossom water or rosewater (at gourmet and Middle East markets) 2 cups sugar 1 tablespoon fresh lemon juice 2 cup unsalted pistachios 2 cup blanched almonds, chopped Sprinkle coconut with flower water and 4 cup water, fluffing as you do so. Cover and leave overnight. In saucepan combine sugar, lemon juice and 2 cup water. Simmer about 5 minutes, stirring constantly, to thicken. Add soaked coconut and slowly bring to a boil again, stirring constantly. Remove from heat as soon as it boils or it will harden and yellow. Let cool. Mix in nuts and pour into glass bowl. Serve the following day or refrigerate in tightly sealed sterilized jar. Whatz your thoughts? I'm new at cooking Asian food but our local ethnic grocery store sells coconut powder and coconut extract. I would think the extract would be more potent. I guess I could use flaked coconut and coconut milk to give the white appearance but what acid would be most 'masking'? I didn't think rose water was acidic... Your advice? The additional link is another recipe\- only sugar and coconut milk in that one. \-Laura Here is a link that might be useful: [Another coconut jam thought](http://pandisal.blogspot.com/2007/08/coconut-jam-style-2.html)

There are Filipino recipes that have coconut milk (strained to remove all shreds of coconut), sugar and citric acid. There are also Filipino recipes that call for coconut milk, eggs and sugar cooked down to make coconut jam.

Neither would be "cannable" though they could be refrigerated. Since coconut milk is available canned, it would be easy to make a small batch for short-term use.

Carol

Coconut milk is a mixture of the liquid inside a coconut as well as pureed meat from the coconut which is then homogenized. They sell this in cans for use in Asian meals. Toasted may require sugar coating or a sugar treatment for cocount flakes (also seeetened) and the they get toasted to a light brown color before being used in a recipe. You can probably add a little pineapple juice and/or lime juice to increase acidity. I don't think I would like a totally coconut flavored jam, as it would be a bit too plain.

I don't know of a safe method to can just a plain coconut jam since coconut by itself it high in ph. It can be added to conserves, but as you said, they are fruit based.
Now, perhaps with some coconut extract and use Pomona's Pectin, you could create something. Pomona's will gel water, I do believe. Unless you want more of a spread and not a gelled jam, then you can just cook the ingredients. Then you don't have to use such a strong fruit flavor behind it. Of course, to me, pineapple and coconut go together, but you would lose the strong coconut flavor.
I would love coconut jam ! I think Carol has the right idea, use a Filipino recipe and keep fresh or freeze it.

The trick is knowing how much citric acid to add so that the coconut jam is sufficiently acidified for home processing. My guess is it isn't going to happen because commercial processors have access to labs and also preserving equipment we can't match.

For the home processor I doubt sufficient citric acid could be added without impairing taste and a pressure canner would probably break the mixture. Curdled coconut milk definitely doesn't sound appealing. Not to mention none of us have any clue as to the time or pressure.

The other option, as I mentioned, would be to take coconut milk, sugar (hard to imagine it'd need more), add acid to taste and then jell with Pomona's or whatever and refrigerate rather than can. Not only does coconut milk have a low pH but it's tremendously fatty, so you have two issues going there. Regarding the fattiness, as a spread you might prefer the Light coconut milk.

Oh, and I forgot. For the best flavor Asian markets usually have pure fresh frozen coconut milk. Check the freezer case. Now that would have a killer flavor, if you can keep the processing time short.

Here's another possibility. It won't be the same but it could be very intriguing and good. Go to an Asian market. Find a tropical juice of some sort, something "exotic" that you taste and like. Passionfruit? Guava? Mango? Maybe pineapple? Then add coconut flavor. I recommend a company like Bickford. Their flavors and oils are natural and have no alcohol. Both are highly concentrated, so it wouldn't take much for a definite coconut burst. Taste-test. Be careful to start with just a little. Even their flavors are more potent than what you buy in the store and if you use too much you may detect a bitter aftertaste.

Then jell using either a standard pectin recipe for juices (those will allow for the sugar already in the juice) or use Pomona's, which will jell anything.

The coconut powder you mention is pure dessicated coconut ground to a fine consistency. It is designed for cooks who need just a little coconut milk; that way they can reconstitute what they need rather than opening an entire can. (Also more environmentally friendly packaging in concentrated form.)

These are just some miscellaneous thoughts. Good luck. Let us know what you come up with.

Carol

Here is a link that might be useful: Bickford Flavors and Oils