Barbadian Coconut Sweet Bread Recipes

BAJAN SWEET BREAD (BARBADOS)

Steps:

• Preheat the oven to 350*F and lightly grease a bread pan. The original recipe calls for 2 bread pans, but the bread doesn't rise at all so it bakes nicely in one pan.
• In a mixer cream together the brown sugar, shortening and butter.
• Add flour, salt, grated coconut, raisins, cherries, nutmeg and mix well.
• Stir in almond extract, evaporated milk, and water, until a firm dough is formed. (You may need to add additional water.).
• Split the dough evenly between the two pans, and use a knife to cut a diagonal criss-cross pattern on the top of each loaf. Sprinkle 1 tbsp turbinado sugar over the top of each loaf.
• Bake for about 1 hour, until a skewer inserted into the center of the loaves comes out clean (Or a digital thermometer reads 190*F.) Cool completely in the pans before removing.

BAJAN COCONUT BREAD

Steps:

• Using an icepick, pierce the three soft spots on the coconut. Drain the liquid and store in the refrigerator. Break the coconut into chunks and grate the flesh into a small bowl. You need at least 1 cup; more is even better.
• Heat the oven to 325 degrees. Grease a 9-by-5-inch loaf pan.
• In a small bowl, stir together the flour, baking powder, salt and coconut flakes.
• In a large bowl of an electric mixer, cream 1/2 cup of the sugar with the butter until light and fluffy. Beat in the eggs, then the vanilla.
• Measure out 1/4 cup of the coconut milk and combine it with the milk. Add the liquids to the egg mixture, alternating with the dry ingredients and stirring just until all the ingredients are blended. Spread into the prepared pan.
• Sprinkle the teaspoon of sugar over the dough and bake for 45 to 50 minutes, until a toothpick inserted in the center comes out clean. Cool on a rack before slicing.

SWEET COCONUT BREAD

Steps:

• Preheat oven to 300 degrees F (150 degrees C). Grease five 8x4-inch baking pans.
• Combine brown sugar, coconut, flour, raisins, fruit peel, cherries, baking powder, mixed essence, and nutmeg in a large bowl using a large wooden spoon.
• Combine margarine and shortening in a microwave-safe bowl; heat in microwave until melted, 30 seconds to 1 minute. Pour melted mixture into flour mixture, alternating with milk, until batter is just mixed. Add water, a teaspoon at a time, if more moisture is needed.
• Pour batter into the prepared baking pans, smoothing the tops with the back of a wet spoon. Sprinkle white sugar over each loaf.
• Bake in the preheated oven until a toothpick or skewer inserted in the middle comes out clean, about 1 hour. Cool in the pans for 5 minutes. Invert onto cooking racks.