Cooking with coconut flour without wasting a batch

Coconut flour is milled from dried coconut meat. It is naturally gluten-free and very high in fibre — and that fibre makes it extraordinarily thirsty.

The ratio

As a rough starting point, substitute about a quarter of the wheat flour a recipe calls for, and add an extra egg for every 30g of coconut flour you use. Without the additional egg and liquid you will get something dry and crumbly that falls apart on the plate.

Let any batter stand for five minutes before cooking. It will thicken as the flour absorbs liquid, and judging consistency before that point will mislead you into adding more flour.

Where it works best

Pancakes, muffins, and coatings for fish and chicken are the most forgiving places to start. It is also a useful thickener for soups and stews.

It is harder work in bread, where gluten normally does the structural job. If you are set on bread, look for a recipe written specifically for coconut flour rather than adapting one.