Recipes

Bajan Sweet Bread

Submitted by Julia Bodwell

2 lb Self Rising Flour
1 lb brown Sugar
3/4 lb Butter
1/4 lb Shortening (optional)
1 grated coconut (approx 3 cups)
1 tsp Salt
2 tsp Vanilla
1 tsp nutmeg
Raisins - Optional
Cherries - Optional

Preheat oven to 350 degrees

Mix all dry ingredients together (except fruit)

Mix butter & Shortening into mixture, using fingers, until mixture resembles large bread crumbs

Add fruit to mixture

Use enough liquid to bind mixture together. This could be coconut water, milk or just plain water.

Knead dough for a few minutes. The longer you need the dough, the firmer the bread becomes. Sweet bread is traditionally a firm bread, but some people like it soft & crumbly. The choice is yours.

Grease & flour loaf pan

Fill pan halfway with dough

Place a slender line of coconut filling lengthwise down middle of dough.

Put remaining dough on top

Cut light crisscross pattern on top with a knife for decoration (optional)

Bake for 30-45 minutes or until an inserted knife comes out clean.