West Indian Coconut Bread Recipes

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.

TRINI ROTI - FLAVOUR FROM THE WEST INDIES

Steps:

• In a bowl, combine yogurt, minced garlic, and spices. Season chicken thighs well with salt before adding them to yogurt curry marinade, and covering to rest in the fridge for eight hours or (preferably) overnight.
• Remove chicken from the fridge and with hands, wipe away most of the marinade and cut into good-sized strips/chunks and reserve wet and cold. Heat good-sized pot with about half the oil and sweat onions until tender. Add remaining oil, garlic, ginger, spices, and chilies and cook, stirring constantly to prevent burning and create a thick curry paste, allowing flavors to release.
• Saute the chicken in hot curry paste to seal the flesh, about 5 minutes, then cover with stock and coconut milk and stir to coat and cover. Add potato and taro root and bring to a boil (add water if needed to cover) and reduce heat to a low and simmer - an hour or more.
• As the sauce thickens check seasoning, add additional heat (chilies) if needed add salt to taste. As roti wraps are finishing, add fresh coriander and stir, removing from heat to serve.
• In a large bowl sift together flour, salt, yeast, and baking powder, and begin adding water, about a 1/4 cup at a time. Knead in as much water as required to come to a firm dough, then cover with plastic wrap or a clean tea towel and let it rest for about 20 minutes in a warm spot. Note: depending on your flour you may need more water, dough should be springy, not tough.
• Knead rested dough for about 90 seconds. Divide dough into six even balls, pat or each into a round, flat disk. Move the dough onto a floured surface and roll into round sheets with a rolling pin until they are roughly 10-inches wide and a 1/4 inch thick.
• Lightly brush flat roti wrap with oil and place on a hot, flat skillet. Cook each side for about 2 minutes until brown bubbles begin to appear. Remove and cool.

WEST INDIAN COCONUT BREAD

Steps:

• Mix all dry ingredients together and make a well.
• Whisk eggs lightly and add to milk and butter.
• Mix into flour mixture, dont overmix.
• Pour into 2 greased loaf tins.
• Bake in preheated 180 Degrees C oven for 45 minutes.

COCONUT BREAD

Steps:

• Preheat oven to 350°F. Butter and flour a 9- by 5- by 3-inch loaf pan, knocking out excess flour.
• Toast and grind coconut:
• Spread 3 cups coconut in a large shallow baking pan (1 inch deep) and toast in middle of oven, stirring occasionally, until evenly golden brown, 20 to 25 minutes. (Watch flakes carefully; edges burn quickly.) Cool completely in pan on a rack, about 15 minutes, then grind in a food processor to a coarse meal, about 40 seconds (you will have about 1 1/4 cups). Leave oven on.
• Make batter:
• Stir together self-rising flour, ground coconut, and remaining cup (untoasted) coconut in a large bowl. Beat together butter and sugar in another bowl with an electric mixer at medium speed until pale and creamy, 1 to 2 minutes. Add eggs 1 at a time, beating well after each addition. Whisk 1 cup water into flour mixture, then add egg mixture, whisking just until well blended.
• Bake bread:
• Pour batter into loaf pan, smoothing top with a spatula, and bake in middle of oven until a wooden skewer inserted in center comes out clean and top is evenly brown, 1 hour to 1 hour and 10 minutes. Cool bread to warm in pan on a rack, 10 to 15 minutes, then turn out of pan and set right side up on rack to cool completely, about 2 hours more. Cut into 1-inch-thick slices.

CARIBBEAN COCONUT BREAD

Steps:

• Preheat oven to 350 degrees F (175 degrees C). Grease a loaf pan with butter.
• Combine flour, sugar, coconut, baking powder, and salt in a large bowl; stir once or twice with a wooden spoon. Add eggs, milk, water, oil, coconut extract, vanilla extract, and cinnamon. Mix well until batter is blended.
• Pour batter into the greased loaf pan.
• Bake in the preheated oven until a toothpick inserted into the center comes out clean, about 1 hour. Cool in the pan for 15 minutes. Invert onto a wire rack to cool completely.