Coconut bar, also called coconut pudding, is made mainly from coconut milk.
This chilled dim sum dessert is a soft, white, gelatinous confection found especially in Hong Kong, Taiwan, southern China, and overseas Chinatowns. Coconut milk gives it its characteristic creamy taste, opaque appearance, and rich aroma. It is usually sweetened and served cold, often cut into neat rectangular bars.
The setting method varies by recipe. Traditional preparations may use wheat starch and corn starch, producing a creamy, softly springy texture. Other versions use agar-agar, gelatin, or both, creating a firmer, more jelly-like bite. Desiccated coconut may be sprinkled over the surface, but shredded coconut is not the main liquid base.
Coconut bar is easy to confuse with translucent gelatin desserts, but its white color comes from the coconut milk. It is also different from coconut water: coconut milk is produced by extracting liquid from grated mature coconut flesh. Regional relatives include Filipino maja blanca, Hawaiian haupia, and Caribbean-style coconut puddings, though their formulas and setting agents differ.