Though people generally think coconuts are a type of nut, botanically speaking they are a stone fruit like prunes and apricots. The fruit is hidden in a thick flesh and has a hard shell. Unripe fruit juice is served as a juice, and the albumen is squeezed and served as coconut milk in cooked dishes and desserts. Albumen dried with a machine and cut into fine strips or powdered is called desiccated coconut. It is a popular ingredient for confectionery and baking.