Buko Pocket Pie: A Mini Twist on Tradition

It’s baking time in sunny LA and people are going crazy for pumpkin spice. But here, we’re adding a tropical twist to our treats with Buko Pocket Pie!

Buko Pocket Pie is a mini handheld pie filled with fresh young coconut filling in a flaky puff pastry crust. It’s the perfect balance of sweetness and creaminess, making it an ideal treat for any time of the day or year.

Whether you’re a fan of coconut or just looking to try something new, this Buko Pocket Pie recipe is sure to become a household favorite.

It’s already become a hit among my family and friends, and I can’t wait to share it with you!

The recipe is beginner-friendly and you may also learn some new skills in the kitchen along the way.

We’ll show you exactly how to crack open a coconut and guide you through working with puff pastry. Imagine how impressed your friends and family will be when you serve them these irresistible treats!

For more fun recipes like these, come check out our baking recipes on the blog. Thanks for being here, now let’s get started!

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Table of Contents

Introduction to Buko Pocket Pie

Buko Pocket Pie is a mini, palm-sized version of Filipino buko pie.

Traditional buko pie is typically made with buko filling made of coconut meat, coconut water, and condensed milk or evaporated milk. As for the crust, it’s usually made with shortening or lard for that flaky texture.

An example of amazing, classic buko pie is Lety’s Buko Pie from Los Baños, Laguna, Philippines. They’ve been serving buko pie since 1976 and have perfected the art of making this delicious treat!

Our Buko Pocket Pie recipe aims to capture the essence of traditional buko pie in a compact, handheld form.

We use cream in our fresh buko filling to add more richness, and use store-bought puff pastry made with shortening for convenience and similar taste to the traditional crust.

A full-sized buko pie also requires more time and effort in preparing the crust and filling, but with Buko Pocket Pies, you can enjoy the same flavors in a fraction of the time. You also need to buy less buko, making it less effort to prepare and more accessible to make.

What is Buko?

Buko is the Filipino term for young coconut. It differs from mature coconuts (niyog) because it is still in its early stage of growth (between 6-10 months old) and has a soft, jelly-like meat that is sweeter and more tender.

Unlike mature coconuts, it doesn’t require much processing and can be enjoyed straight from the shell.

The Philippines is one of the top producers of coconuts globally. The southern regions and Bicol region in the country are known for their significant coconut cultivation.

Its abundance makes it a popular ingredient in Filipino cuisine, particularly in desserts and snacks.

Buko is one of my favorite flavors of all time – it brings a refreshing and creamy twist to any dessert. And I find it quite gratifying to crack open a chilled coconut and instantly enjoy its refreshing water while scooping out the delicious flesh!

Sourcing the Perfect Young Coconut

Buko is grown year-round in tropical regions, so it shouldn’t be too difficult to find fresh young coconuts at your local grocery store or Asian market. Our favorite places to buy young coconuts are Sprouts, Whole Foods, local Asian grocery stores, and farmer’s markets.

We ordered a box of coconuts from Weee! Asian Grocery App, which were individual-sized and perfectly ripe. We used these coconuts for the Buko Pocket Pie recipe, and enjoyed the leftover coconuts as a beverage.

To pick out a good coconut, look for coconuts that feel heavy for their size, as this indicates they are full of water. Also give it a shake and listen for the sound of sloshing water inside, which confirms its freshness.

Lastly, confirm that there are no mold, cracks, or any signs of spoilage on the outside.

What to Serve with Buko Pocket Pie

With a flaky pastry crust and a sweet buko filling, these pocket pies are perfect for snacking or indulging on its own.

But we also love eating them as a delicious breakfast treat or pairing them with a scoop of vanilla ice cream for a delightful dessert.

To enhance the experience of Buko Pocket Pie, we recommend serving with a cup of hot coffee or a glass of cold milk. Try it with a classic cup of Barako coffee (a strong Filipino coffee) mixed with brown sugar!

Puff Pastry Beginner Tips

Keep the dough chilled – Keeping it chilled throughout the process to prevent it from becoming too soft and difficult to work with. It also prevents the fats from melting too quickly, which we need for a flaky, layered pastry.

If needed, you may chill the dough for 10-15 minutes in the refrigerator in between steps to keep it firm. This depends on the temperature of your kitchen and how quickly the dough is softening as you use it.

For me, I needed to chill the dough after dividing into 12 pieces to prevent it from becoming too soft to handle.

Do not overfill – Overfilling the Buko Pocket Pies can cause the filling to burst out while baking, so be sure to only add a spoonful of the buko filling in the center of each pastry.

Of course, it is easy to be tempted and overfill, especially when the buko filling is so delicious, but it’s important to exercise restraint to ensure that the pocket pies bake evenly and hold their shape.

Seal the edges well to prevent leakage – When assembling the Buko Pocket Pies, make sure to seal the edges well to prevent any leakage of the filling during baking.

Use egg wash to brush the edges of the pastry before sealing them together with the prongs of a fork. This will help create a tight seal and ensure that the delicious buko filling stays inside the pocket pie.

Brush the tops with egg wash – Brushing the tops of the Buko Pocket Pies with egg wash before baking gives them a beautiful golden color and a shiny appearance. This step is important for both aesthetics and taste.

How to Store and Reheat Buko Pocket Pie

Before you store Buko Pocket Pie, make sure they have completely cooled down to room temperature. Then, place them in an airtight container or wrap them tightly with plastic wrap.

Refrigerate for about 3-4 days to maintain their freshness. If you want to store them for a longer period, you can freeze the Buko Pocket Pies for up to 3 months.

To reheat cold Buko Pocket Pie, reheat in a toaster oven, air fryer, or oven at 350°F (175°C) for about 2-5 minutes until warmed through.

To reheat frozen Buko Pocket Pie, preheat your oven to 350°F (175°C). Place the frozen pies on a baking sheet lined with parchment paper. Bake for about 10-15 minutes, or until the pastry is crispy and the filling is heated through. You can also do this in an air fryer.

Make Ahead Suggestions

If you want to make Buko Pocket Pie ahead of time, you can prepare the buko filling separately and store it in the refrigerator until you’re ready to assemble and bake with the store-bought pastry puff.

It is also possible for you to assemble the pocket pies and refrigerate them for a few hours until you are ready to bake.

This way, you can have freshly baked Buko Pocket Pies whenever you desire, without the hassle of making everything from scratch all at once.

Equipment Needed

• coconut opener tool set
• saucepan
• fine mesh strainer
• pastry mat
• rolling pin
• dough scraper/cutter
• basting brush
• Our Place Ovenware

Ingredients

Puff Pastry

• 1 sheet puff pastry dough ½ lb/245g
• 1 egg for egg wash

Buko Filling

• 2 cups buko meat 225g
• ½ cup white sugar 115g
• ½ tsp kosher salt 2.5g
• ¼ cup heavy cream
• ¼ cup coconut water from the fresh buko
• 1½ tbsp cornstarch 12g

Recipe

Prepare the Buko

1. Open the coconut using a coconut opener tool: place the tool on the center of the coconut and pound it in with the mallet until the highest point of the coconut touches the tool. Use a lever motion to open it like a soda can. See Note 1.

Note 1. To keep your counters safe, place a wooden cutting board (or stack two if they don’t slide) under the coconut before using the mallet. This will prevent any damage to your countertops and make the process of cracking open the coconut safer and easier.

2. Strain out the water and set aside for later. Scoop the buko flesh with a spoon.

3. Clean the flesh by scraping off large pieces of husk with the spoon, and rinsing off any smaller bits.

Make Buko Filling

1. In a saucepan, combine buko meat, sugar, salt, and cream. Stir on low heat until the sugar dissolves.
2. Make a slurry by whisking together coconut water and cornstarch. Once mixed, add to the saucepan.
3. While stirring, raise the heat to a low simmer until the sauce thickens. Do not raise the heat too much as this could cause burns or curdling.
4. After a few minutes the filling should be thick. Turn off heat and let the filling cool completely.

Prepare the Puff Pastry

1. On a lightly floured surface, roll the pastry out into a rectangle, roughly 14″ x 10.”

2. Divide into 12 pieces.
3. For 6 pieces, roll them to be a tiny bit larger so that they can wrap around the filling easier (these will be the “top” pieces.)
4. If your pastry has getting warm by this point, chill the pieces in the refrigerator for at least 10-15 min before moving forward.

Assembly and Baking

1. On the 6 “bottom” pieces of dough, add about 2-3 tbsp of filling to the center. Lightly brush the edges with egg wash. Place the “top” piece over it. Seal the edges by pressing down with the tines of a fork.

2. If there is any unevenness, very gently press with your fingers to distribute the filling evenly.
3. Holding a sharp knife vertically, use an up and down motion to make a few slits on top of each piece to allow air to escape.
4. Brush the tops with egg wash.

5. Bake at 350F for 20-25 minutes until the tops are golden.

Final Thoughts

Made from fresh young coconut, these mini pies are a coconut lover’s dream come true. Try it out and indulge in the creamy and delicious buko filling wrapped in flaky pastry!

We hope you enjoy this recipe! Share your creations on Instagram and tag us @itsforkandspoon!

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References & Further Reading

https://www.epicurious.com/expert-advice/best-frozen-puff-pastry-article

https://www.foodnetwork.com/recipes/alton-brown/pocket-pies-recipe-1952024

https://www.epicurious.com/expert-advice/how-to-use-puff-pastry-tips-recipes-article#:~:text=Puff pastry is at its,baked just before the party.

https://letysbukopie.com/

https://www.tagaloglang.com/tag/coconut/

https://www.vancouverpcg.org/vpcg-resources/yamang-pinoy/yamang-pinoy-2/philippine-coconut-industry/#:~:text=The Philippines is the second,the world%2C next to Indonesia.&text=The Davao Region in the,production for the year 2018.