Coconut Buns and a Published Photograph

Before I get to the coconut bun recipe… a little news. Thrilled to see my photograph for Welsh cheese cakes included in (bread and cake section) the 3rd edition of the Essentials For Living text-book. Published by Gill & Macmillan this text-book is for the Junior Certificate Home Economics curriculum taught in schools throughout Ireland. The author used her own recipe and the recipe I posted for Welsh cheesecakes was from an old cookbook my mother used in her teacher training days.

My niece is sitting her junior cert this year and I hope she and the thousands of other students enjoy making Welsh cheesecakes as much as I did during my school days. Somehow I feel this recipe has come full circle.

Home economics without a doubt was one of my favorite subject at school. In my opinion cooking is an important life skill and should be taught in every school at all levels, food is a very important part of our wellbeing. Although it’s fun to bake all the sweet stuff, moderation is the key and a heavier weight should aways be placed on the healthier aspects of food and cooking. When my daughter was at university I remember her telling me that one of her uni friends didn’t even know what to do with a tin of peas and another couldn’t even make a cup of tea.
Easy to make, these coconut buns were another favorite from my school days, back then I remember them as coconut rock buns. The recipe uses the rubbing-in method for cake making. It’s ok if the coconut buns look a little rough around the edges and I am sure in our school days there were all shapes and sizes baked and probably some really were like rocks.  With some help, younger kids will love making them too. Also, sturdy enough to withstand kids lunch boxes, making them a perfect home-baked treat. Adults… they are really delicious with a  mug of tea.

I would also like to thank the publishers Gill and Macmillan for my copy of the text book, the Essentials for Living.