If your recipe calls for a coconut liquid, choose culinary coconut milk. If it needs something thicker, check whether coconut cream is suitable. Before buying, make sure there’s no confusion between coconut milk, coconut cream, desiccated coconut and grated cheese. Then prepare information about the allergens actually present in each cake you’re selling.
They need to choose the ingredient specified in the recipe, particularly when deciding between pourable coconut milk and thicker coconut cream. Auchan product listings state that Vietcoco coconut milk contains 85% coconut extract, while its cream contains 95%. These figures apply to these two products.
For unpackaged cakes sold at a school, they need to be able to provide information about the allergens actually present in each recipe. In France, Légifrance and the DGCCRF set out the information requirements for these foods.
They need to know whether the recipe calls for a liquid, thick cream, desiccated coconut or grated cheese. Confirm the required form and quantity before comparing products.
Start by identifying the ingredient and quantity listed in the recipe. Then consider what size pack to buy and what information you’ll need to provide when selling the cakes.
| Criterion | What to check | Consumers concerned |
|---|---|---|
| Batter consistency | Check whether the recipe calls for pourable coconut milk or thicker cream, then read the ingredients of the product you choose. | If I’m making coconut cake batter, I want to get the consistency right rather than simply swapping milk for cream. Around 36% of consumers would make this adjustment their priority. |
| Quantity per recipe | Note the amount needed for each batch and compare it with the size of the tins. | If I’m making several cakes, I need to plan for enough of the ingredient without confusing the tin’s capacity with the amount required by the recipe. Planning the quantity needed would be the main concern for around 28% of consumers. |
| Allergen information | Read the packaging for every ingredient and link the allergens present to each recipe being sold. | When I sell unpackaged cakes, I need to be able to provide information about the allergens in the whole cake, not just those in the coconut product. This would be the top priority for around 36% of consumers. |
Coconut milk, coconut cream, desiccated coconut and grated cheese don’t serve the same purpose in a recipe. Confusing them could mean you don’t make the cake you intended.
Read the ingredient list again and confirm the form and quantity you need before buying.
The name alone doesn’t tell you whether the product contains dairy milk or which allergens will be present in the finished cake.
Keep the packaging for every ingredient and prepare information for each recipe. Don’t claim that a cake is ‘allergen-free’ based solely on the coconut product.
Storage instructions for an opened tin depend on the product, which matters if you’re preparing cakes in advance.
Plan when to open each tin around your baking schedule and follow the instructions on the packaging you buy.
Auchan lists 400 ml tins of both coconut milk and coconut cream. Which one to choose depends on the consistency required by your recipe.
Carrefour’s 400 ml ‘Cuisine’ product is culinary coconut milk worth considering if your recipe calls for a liquid.
Auchan describes its 400 ml tin of Grace coconut milk as suitable for desserts.
Auchan lists a 40 cl tin of organic coconut milk among its products.
No. The name alone doesn’t establish the ingredients of the product you choose. Check the ingredients and allergen information on the packaging, and do the same for the other ingredients in the cake.
Yes. For unpackaged cakes sold in France, any allergens listed in Annex II of Regulation (EU) No 1169/2011 that have been used and are still present in the finished product must be communicated to the end consumer. The rules set out by Légifrance and the DGCCRF mean this information must be clearly linked to each cake concerned.
Not without considering the recipe. Auchan describes Vietcoco coconut cream as thicker than its coconut milk. If your recipe calls for milk, stick to the specified ingredient or test the change to the batter before selling the cakes.
Follow the storage instructions and time limit shown on the tin you’re using. These can vary from one product to another, so bear this in mind if you’re making the cakes in advance.