Shortcut Pani Popo - Sweetend Coconut Buns

Pani Popo is a soft, semi sweet, Samoan coconut bun, baked in a delicious creamy coconut sauce. This shortcut recipe is super simple to make using Rhodes  Frozen Dinner Rolls.  

Today I'm sharing a yummy recipe that has quickly become a family favorite in our house. Ever since I was a kid, I have always loved just about any type of ethnic cuisine. My dad was in the Air Force and we were lucky enough to be stationed on Hickam Air Force Base in Oahu, Hawaii for 10 years! 

Hawaii really was one of the most beautiful places a kid could call home. For me Hawaii was like summertime all year round. Besides the beautiful weather and scenery, Hawaii also has the most delicious food.

Living in Hawaii meant that I was exposed to a variety of different foods, Samoan, Filipino, Japanese, Chinese, Polynesian and even Portuguese dishes. I learned to eat so many different dishes and I loved all of them. 

On the weekends, I would go with my dad to all the different island bakeries and get fresh Pan de sal, Portuguese sweet bread, Malasadas, steamed rice cakes, Penuche fudge, Pork Manapuas, red bean buns, coconut custard buns and so much more.

Even though I lived in Hawaii for quite some time, I don't recall ever enjoying Pani Popo, so that needed to change. If you're not familiar with Samoan Pani Popo it's a soft, semi sweet coconut bun, baked in a delicious creamy coconut milk sauce. "Pani" means bun (not bread) and "Popo" means coconut. 

After the Pani Pop buns are finished baking you will see all the sweetened coconut sauce pooled in the bottom of the baking dish. This ooey-gooey custard sauce gives each of these buns a sticky, sweet underside. All I can say is these delicious coconut buns really are a little piece of heaven in a pan. 

Since finding this recipe I've made these buns twice in 2 weeks and my daughter is already asking me to make them again. This Pani Popo recipe is super simple to make using this shortcut recipe that I found on the Rhodes Baking Blog.  

If you would like to bake up these delicious coconut buns, stop by the Rhodes Out of the Oven Blog where I'm guest posting today, and sharing the full recipe and instructions on how to make Shortcut Pani Popo. 

Click here to get the full recipe and instructions.

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