Cracking the Coconuts: If you're using whole dried coconuts, follow these steps to crack them open and extract the meat: Coconuts have three “eyes” located between three ridges on the shell. One ridge aligns directly with an eye. Strike the middle of that ridge with the back of a knife or a mallet until the shell cracks (see image 1). Carefully remove the coconut meat (image 2). If the meat is difficult to separate, roast the coconut over a flame for a few minutes or bake it at 150°C (302°F) for 5 minutes to loosen it.

Preparing the Coconut Meat: Peel off the brown skin from the coconut meat, rinse thoroughly, and slice it thinly. For mature coconuts, slice as thinly as possible; for young coconuts, cut into strips (image 3). Immediately soak the sliced coconut in a basin of water mixed with ½ tsp salt and the juice of half a lemon to keep it white and crisp (image 4).

Blanching: After slicing, blanch the coconut. Boil a pot of water, add the coconut slices, and blanch them briefly (image 1). Once the water comes back to a boil, drain the coconut and rinse it with cold water (image 2). Let the coconut dry completely (image 3).

Marinating: Once the coconut is dry, weigh it to calculate the amount of sugar needed. Typically, the ratio is 2 parts coconut to 1 part sugar, but you can adjust for a sweeter taste. For example, with 500g of sliced coconut, marinate it with 250g of sugar. Toss the coconut and sugar evenly, then let it sit overnight.

By the next morning, the coconut should have absorbed the sugar and become translucent. Transfer the coconut to a pan, set it over low heat, and cook slowly to evaporate the liquid. Be careful not to let the syrup boil, as this can cause the coconut to burn or darken in color. Stir frequently until the coconut is completely dry, and the sugar crystallizes to form a delicate coating on each ribbon (image 3).

To prolong the shelf life of your candied coconut ribbons, you can dry them for an additional day under the sun, if possible, or leave them to air dry at room temperature in a cool, dry place.

Finally, store the candied coconut ribbons in airtight jars or bags to keep them fresh and ready to enjoy.