Bajan Sweet Bread or Coconut Bread

Another delicacy of Barbados, good ole Bajan Sweet Bread or Coconut Bread as it is sometimes referred to, situates itself somewhere between rock cakes, which are of British origin, lead pipes and cassava pone.

A rock cake is a raisin filled, cookie-like treat with a hard exterior and yes it does resemble a rock.

Lead pipes, which are about six (6) inches in length, thin, freshly baked, hard on the outside but with a nice soft interior and cassava pone is a nice delicacy consisting of coconut, sugar, spices, salt and cassava flour. It is often time described as two small squares of heaven, all best served hot but the crème de la resistance is the Bajan Sweet Bread.

Comprising of flour, salt, sugar, yeast and coconut, it can be presented with or without raisins and the popular but optional cherries. Of course there is always the plain option for those who prefer to taste warm coconut goodness with no fruity interruptions, but what makes the Coconut Bread so special compared to other pastries here in the lovely, friendly island of Barbados?

Served warm, in slices revealing a cluster of coconut nestled in the center, is topped with a crispy rugged crust. The crust is not tough, quite the opposite, it crumbles and breaks in your mouth leaving only flavor to fill the senses. Taking a bite into this delicacy would combine a soft crispy crust with raisins (if you opted to have them) and warm soft sprinkles of sugary coconut. This traditional treat is worth the wait on a warm day with friends or at a family picnic on the lovely beaches of Barbados.

This oven baked bread is usually seen throughout the year. It was a popular option for Sweet bread to be baked before holidays but more regularly on Christmas. Sweet bread should be served warm, sliced and accompanied by a tall glass of iced Mauby drink (a local beverage made from mauby bark) or for the Christmas holiday Mauby can be substituted with a glass of iced Sorrel drink. This beverage is a red syrup made from a hibiscus found in the Caribbean. The flavor of this beverage may resemble cranberry juice. Sweet bread can be found in bakeries, somesupermarkets and almost at every cake sale in Barbados.

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Sticky toffee pudding

Ingredients

For the pudding

• 150g/5oz dates, stones removed, chopped
• 250ml/9fl oz hot water
• 1 tsp bicarbonate of soda
• 60g/2¼ oz butter, softened
• 60g/2¼ oz caster sugar
• 2 free-range eggs
• 150g/5oz self-raising flour

For the toffee sauce

• 200g/7oz butter
• 400g/14oz brown sugar
• vanilla pod, split
• 250ml/9fl oz double cream

Preparation method

1. Preheat the oven to 180C/370F/Gas 4.
   
2. Mix the dates, bicarbonate of soda and the water together in a bowl and leave to soak for ten minutes.
   
3. In a clean bowl, cream the butter and sugar together until light and fluffy.
   
   Technique: Creaming butter by hand
   Watch technique0:50 mins
4. Still stirring the butter mixture, gradually add the eggs, making sure they are well mixed in.
   
5. Still stirring, gradually add the flour, then add the date mixture.
   
6. Pour the mixture into a 20cm/8in square cake tin. Place into the oven and bake for 35-40 minutes, or until cooked through.
   
7. To make the sauce, melt the butter in a thick bottomed pan over a medium heat.
   
8. Add the brown sugar, vanilla pod and cream and stir well. Simmer for five minutes.
   
9. 
   To serve, spoon out a portion of the pudding onto a plate and pour over the hot toffee sauce.
   

Holiday Granola Bars

Yield: 24 servings

Ingredients:

2 cups rolled oats
3/4 cup packed brown sugar
1/2 cup wheat germ
3/4 teaspoon ground cinnamon
1 cup all-purpose flour
3/4 teaspoon kosher salt
1/2 cup honey
1 egg, lightly beaten
1/2 cup vegetable oil
2 teaspoons vanilla extract
3/4 cup dried sour cherries, chopped
3/4 cup dark chocolate chips
3/4 cup slivered almonds

Directions:

1. Preheat the oven to 350 degrees F. Line a 9x13 inch baking pan with parchment paper.
2. In a large bowl, mix together the oats, brown sugar, wheat germ, cinnamon, flour, and salt. Make a well in the center, and pour in the honey, egg, oil and vanilla.
3. Mix well using your hands, add in cherries, chocolate chips and almonds. Pat the mixture evenly into the prepared pan.
4. Bake for 30 to 35 minutes in the preheated oven, until the bars begin to turn golden around the edges. Cool on wire rack for about 30 minutes before cutting. Do not allow the bars to cool completely before cutting because they will crumble.

Notes:

- Store granola bars is airtight container for up to three days.

Chocolate Christmas log

 

Ingredients

FOR THE CAKE

• 3 eggs
• 85g golden caster sugar
• 85g plain flour (less 2 tbsp)
• 2 tbsp cocoa powder
• ½ tsp baking powder

FOR THE FILLING & ICING

• 50g butter
• 140g dark chocolate , broken into squares
• 1 tbsp golden syrup
• 284ml pot double cream
• 200g icing sugar , sifted
• 2-3 extra-strong mint , crushed (optional)
• icing sugar and holly sprigs to decorate - ensure you remove the berries before serving