Pão de Deus | Portuguese Coconut-Topped Sweet Rolls

Mix the flour, yeast, sugar, and lemon zest. Add the warm milk and eggs, bring the mixture together, and knead for 5 minutes. Sprinkle in the salt, then add the butter a little at a time. Knead for 8 more minutes, until the dough is smooth, glossy, and elastic. The dough should be soft and slightly sticky; do not make it firmer by adding flour. Cover and leave it to rise.

Divide the risen dough into 12 equal pieces, 80 g each. Roll each piece on the counter with your palm until the surface is taut and it forms a firm ball. Space the balls out on parchment-lined baking sheets and cover them while they rise.

Mix the coconut, sugar, egg, egg yolk, and melted butter. The mixture should resemble damp sand and hold together when squeezed.

Preheat the oven to 180°C / 355°F. Place a heaping tablespoon of topping (about 25 g) on each risen roll and gently press it with your fingers to cover the top without letting it spill over the edges.

Place the baking sheet on the middle rack and bake for 18–20 minutes. The topping should be golden and the bottoms of the rolls browned. If the topping darkens at the 12-minute mark, loosely cover it with aluminum foil.

Let the rolls cool until warm on a wire rack, then sift powdered sugar over them just before serving.