According to Taste Atlas , this dish appeared in the 1940s, made from thick slices of white bread, fried or grilled until crispy, hollowed out inside and stuffed with sauce, chicken, chicken gizzards, carrots, peas and corn.
The cut part of the cake was placed back as a “lid”, creating the shape of a miniature coffin, from which this unique name was born. Later, the filling of the cake was varied, from curry, seafood to even fruit.

The "coffin" bread is hollowed out, crispy on the outside, and filled with creamy sauce inside (Photo: Taste Atlas).
The specific origin was recorded by Taipei Times at Kangle Market (Tainan). The owner of Shenchang Old Chikan restaurant, Mr. Hsu Liu-yi, combined Western bread with chicken liver, creating the dish “chicken liver bread” and quickly became popular.
A professor, when trying the cake, thought it looked like a coffin and jokingly called it that, causing this special name to spread widely.

"Coffin" bread with attractive seafood filling (Photo: SAKImoto Bakery).
According to the Chinese Cuisine Culture Foundation, the name “Coffin Bread” was only officially put on the market in 1959, when the dish had become a famous specialty in Tainan.
Since then, many new versions have been created such as chicken, squid, seafood, or curry variations. In other localities, the cake is also made into small, portable forms to suit the fast pace of life.
This dish is notable not only for its unique name but also for its special ingredients. Instead of using freshly baked bread, the chefs prefer day-old bread. As a result, when fried, the crust is dry and crispy.
If you use new bread, the inside is often still moist, making it difficult for the crust to achieve the desired crispness and the flavor is also poor.

The "coffin" bread is compact in size and easier to hold (Photo: taiwan-rotary.org).
Interestingly, not only the dishes were innovated, but also the names were “renewed”. To avoid the feeling of bad luck, many restaurants changed their names to other words that sound similar to “coffin” but have a good meaning of career, wealth.
Therefore, in addition to the name Coffin Bread , the dish is also known as Treasure Chest - "treasure chest", with the meaning of promotion and wealth.
Today, “coffin” bread has become one of the culinary symbols of Tainan, both unique and containing an interesting historical and cultural story, making it difficult for tourists to ignore when coming to Taiwan.
Once tasted, most visitors are convinced by the crispy crust, rich cream filling and unforgettable flavor.
Source: https://dantri.com.vn/du-lich/loai-banh-co-ten-rung-ron-hut-khach-nho-su-dung-nguyen-lieu-de-qua-dem-20250906140214408.htm
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