sweet taste of the
CARIBBEAN Designed by Janell Thorpe
sweet taste of the
CARIBBEAN
Designed by Janell Thorpe
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Introduction Th i s b o o k is a de lig h t f u l a n d w ar m invi tation to some of the C a r i bbe a n ’s mo s t t a s t e f u l a n d sweetest tr eats. I t i ncl udes a var i ety of de sse r t s f ro m s ix o f t h e C a r ibbean’s islands; the Bahamas, Bar bados, t h e C ay ma n Is la n ds , Gre n a da , J amai ca and Tr i nidad. Sweet Taste of the C a r i bbe a n will de fin it e ly e n lighten and br i ng w ar mth to your taste bu d s, f r o m t h e fin e s t a ll n a t u r al ingr edi ents found ar ound each island, t o t h e be a u t y o f t h e fin a l a n d intr i cate design of the desser ts. Each r e c i p e is s imple a n d do e s n ' t keep you i n the ki tchen for a l ong per i od o f t i m e . Th e s e is la n ds we re c hosen because they ar e some of the most we l l - k n own o n e s in t h e C a r ibbean. Some of these r eci pes may even l ea d you in t o c re a t in g o t h e r desser ts that you never even thought of. W h o k nows wh e re t h is C a r ibbean desser t cookbook w ill take you? But t h e n a g ain , a lit t le c u r io s it y a nd exper imentation won't bur n you. Like m o st foo ds wh e re it ' s v it a l t o have cer tai n i ngr edients i n or der to tur n o u t r i g ht , t h is bo o k do e s n ' t push you to be a per fecti oni st, unl ess you r e a l ly wa n t t o be . So me o f t h e ingr edi ents can be substi tuted, w hi ch in t u r n w i l l s ave yo u mo re mo n ey, and w ho know s i t mi ght even make you c r e a t e s o me t h in g n e w t h a t you never thought of befor e . Sweet Taste o f t h e C a r ibbe a n is f u n a n d s impl e . I t gi ves you somethi ng new to tr y w h i l e a l lowin g yo u t o be f re e and not ti ed dow n w ith the same ol d de sse r t s . It is g o o d e s pe c ia lly for l ear ning as well as hosting dinner s, pa r t i e s, o r wh a t e ve r t h e o c c a si on may be . I t's something that w ill i m p r e ss yo u r f a mily a n d f r ie n ds. Enj oy!
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Table of Contents
Bahamas Barbados Cayman Islands Grenada Jamaica Trinidad Colophon
5 9 13 17 21 25 29
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Bahamas
Pineapple Tart Ingredients
Bahamas
Instructions
8
2 c flour 8 t butter
2 c fresh pineapples (peeled) 4 whole cloves
2 eggs
1½ c brown sugar
2 c water
1 tsp salt
1
Boil pineapple & sugar together for 15 minutes and set aside.
5
Turn on lightly floured board & knead. Divide dough in half, roll out portion and line a well-greased pie pan (standard size).
2
Pour flour into a mixing bowl; mix in salt, baking powder and 1 c of sugar.
6
Fill with already prepared filling. Roll out remainder of dough and cut into ½ inch strips.
3
Make a hole in the middle: add egg, margarine, cream and mix well.
7
Moisten edge of bottom dough. Lay half of pastry strips across to form a criss–cross pattern.
4
Gather dough together with fingers and press into a ball.
at 350° F. for 1½ hrs, or 8 Bake until golden brown.
Mango Pie Ingredients
1 unbaked 9" pie shell + dough 1 tsp cinnamon for top crust 1 tsp freshly grated nutmeg 3 c peeled, thin sliced ½ riped mangoes 2 t butter or margarine 1 c sugar (brown or white) 2 t lemon or lime juice
Bahamas
Ingredients
10
1
Place one layer of mangos in pie shell and sprinkle with half the sugar, lemon or lime juice and spices.
2
Add remaining sliced mangos, sugar, spices, lemon or lime juice and dot with bits of butter or margarine.
3
Cover or criss-cross with pie crust. Bake about 45 minutes at 350° F. This makes 6 servings.
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Barbados
Bajan Sweet-Coconut Bread Ingredients
Instructions
1
small fresh coconut
2 c flour
2
1 tsp baking powder
½ tsp vanilla
½ tsp salt
¼ c milk
½ c sugar
1 c
1
5
In a large bowl, mix, ½ cup of the sugar with the butter until it's light and fluffy. Beat in the eggs, then the vanilla.
6
Measure out ¼ 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 everything is blended.
7
Spread into the prepared pan. Bake for 45 to 50 minutes, until a toothpick inserted in the center comes out clean. Cool on a rack before slicing.
Pierce the coconut and drain the liquid and store in the refrigerator.
Barbados
the coconut into chunks and grate 2 Break the flesh into a small bowl. You need at
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½ c butter or margarine
least 1 cup; more is even better.
3 4
Heat the oven to 325 degrees. Grease a 9-by-5-inch loaf pan. In a small bowl, stir together the flour, mixed fruits, baking powder, salt and coconut flakes
eggs
mixed fruit
Corn Pie Ingredients
Barbados
Instructions
16
1 t sugar
1 egg
1 ½ t flour
1 onion (finely chopped)
½ Ib cheese
½ sweet pepper (chopped)
1
tin drained corn
1 t butter or margarine
½
tin evaporated milk
1
Melt butter in pan and add flour, stir to avoid lumps,
2
Add milk, stir to avoid lumps then add grated cheese.
3
Add corn and sugar, put in onions. Add the egg last to hold ingredients together.
4
Bake in oven at 50° for 35 to 40 minutes.
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Cayman Islands
Heavy Cake Ingredients
1¼ c brown sugar
2t
melted butter
1
2c
hot water
raw grated cassava
1 c milk and coconut milk
1 tsp ginger
½ tsp nutmeg or mace and salt
1 tsp cinnamon 1 tsp vanilla
½ pack dried coconut flakes
Cayman Islands
Instructions
20
1
Combine cassava with milk, sugar and spices and mix well.
2
Add coconut, hot water and melted butter.
3
Mix briskly and taste for sweetness desired. Add more sugar if necessary, pour into greased Pyrex dish.
4
This time around I used a non-stick baking pan. As it was black I lowered the temperature from 375° to 350° F.
Tortuga Rum Cake Ingredients
1 c chopped walnuts and sugar
½ c oil
1 box yellow cake mix
4 eggs
1 small package instant vanilla pudding mix
Secret Sauce 1 stick oleo (butter)
¼ c water ¾ c dark rum
Cayman Islands
Instructions
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1
Preheat oven at 325° F. Grease and flour a bundt pan Sprinkle walnuts over the bottom of the pan.
2
Blend dry cake mix, dry pudding mix, water, rum, oil and eggs for 2 minutes. Pour over walnuts in pan. Bake for 1 hour.
3
Prepare Secret sauce 10 minutes before cake is finished baking.
4
Combine water rum, water sugar and butter in to sauce pan. Heat over medium heat, stirring until boiling.
5
Boil for 2 minutes stirring occasionally. Remove cake from oven.
6
While in pan, gently stab cake with sharp knife. Slowly pour sauce over cake (will look like too much sauce, but cake will absorb it.
7
Let the cake cool in the pan for 30 minutes before removing from pan.
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Grenada
Spice Cake Ingredients
1½ tsp grated lime zest
2 c sifted all-purpose flour
1 tsp
3 eggs
ground nutmeg and salt
1½ c white sugar ½ tsp
ground cinnamon and baking powder
1 c unsalted butter, chilled, cut into tablespoon-size pieces
¼ tsp ground allspice ½ c milk
Grenada
Instructions
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1
Preheat oven to 350° F,(175° C). Grease a 9"x 5" loaf pan.
4
Add the dry ingredients alternately with the milk, stirring after each addition
2
Sift together the flour, baking powder and salt, set aside. In a medium bowl, cream together the sugar and butter.
5
Pour batter into the prepared pan. Bake for 75 to 90 minutes in the preheated oven, until a toothpick inserted comes out clean.
6
Cool in the pan for 10 minutes before turning out onto a rack to cool completely.
in the eggs one at 3 Beat a time, then stir in the lime zest, nutmeg, cinnamon and allspice.
Nutmeg Ice Cream Ingredients
1½ c milk
1 tsp vanilla
3
1t
large eggs
½ t salt
grated fresh nutmeg
¾ c sugar
1½ c heavy cream
Grenada
Instructions
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1
In a saucepan bring the milk and the cream just to a boil. Do not boil but turn off the heat as soon as it gets to boiling stage.
2
In a bowl whisk together the eggs, the sugar, the nutmeg, the salt, and the vanilla.
3
Whisk ½ cup of the milk mixture into the egg mixture, and whisk the mixture into the remaining milk mixture.
4
Cook the custard over moderate heat, stirring constantly with a wooden spoon, until it registers 175° F. on a candy thermometer
5
Transfer the custard to a metal bowl set in a larger bowl of ice and cold water and stir it until it is cold.
the custard in an ice-cream maker 6 Freeze according to the manufacturer’s instructions.
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Jamaica
Fruit/Rum Cake Ingredients
2 c butter, 9 eggs,
2c
1
1 c dark molasses
pinch salt,
¼ c white rum (optional) 1 t lime juice 1 tsp vanilla extract 1 t almond extract 1 grated zest one lime
Instructions
1
Preheat oven to 350° F, (175° C). Grease and flour 2"–9" round cake pans.
a large bowl, cream together the 2 Inbutter and sugar until light and fluffy.
Jamaica
Beat in eggs, then add rum, lime juice, vanilla, almond extract, and lime zest.
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3
Stir in mixed fruit, wine, and molasses
4
Sift together flour, baking powder, nutmeg, allspice, cinnamon, and salt.
red wine
2½ c all-purpose flour 3 tsp baking powder ½ tsp ground nutmeg, allspice ½ cinnamon 2 lb chopped dried fruits into batter, being careful 5 Fold not to over-mix. into prepared pans. Bake 6 Pour in preheated oven for 80 to 90 minutes, or until a knife inser ted into the center comes out clean.
7
Let cool in pan for 10 minutes, then turn out onto a wire rack and cool completely.
Banana Bread Ingredients
2
eggs
¼ tsp salt
½ c sugar
¼ tsp allspice
½ c coconut milk
2 tsp cinnamon
1 tsp vanilla
½ tsp baking soda 2 c sifted, all-purpose flour
Jamaica
Instructions
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¼ c soft butter
½ c coconut ½ c raisins 3 mashed ripe bananas
1
Preheat oven to 350° F, (180° C). Lightly grease an 8"x 4" bread pan.
flour mixture and stir just enough to 5 Add moisten. Fold in coconut and raisins.
2
In a small bowl combine sifted flour, baking soda, salt, and spices.
6
3
Set aside. In a large bowl, cream together butter and sugar. Add eggs and mix well.
Pour into prepared pan. Bake for 1 hour, until a toothpick inserted in the center comes out clean.
7
Be careful not to over bake it or the bread may come out dry.
8
Allow bread to stay in the loaf pan for about 10 minutes before removing.
in coconut milk and vanilla. Slowly add 4 Stir mashed bananas, beating until well combined.
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Trinidad
Gulab Jamun Ingredients
1½ c mawa (khoya)
2
¼c
¼ tsp salt
chenna
¼ tsp soda bicarbonate 3t
refined flour (maida)
¼ tsp green cardamom powder
Trinidad
Instructions
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2c
sugar
ghee – to deep fry
khoya and mash chenna and keep aside. 1 Grate Mix the two along with soda bicarbonate, refined flour, green cardamom powder and a little water to make a soft dough.
2
Divide into sixteen equal portions and shape into balls.
3
Prepare a sugar syrup with sugar and two cups of water.
eggs
¼ tsp allspice 2 tsp cinnamon ½ tsp baking soda 2 c sifted, all-purpose flour
4
Clear the syrup by removing the scum, if any.
5
Heat ghee/oil in a kadai. Add the balls, deep fry on low heat till golden in color.
6
Drain and soak in the sugar syrup for at least fifteen to twenty minutes before serving.
Coconut Fudge Ingredients
Trinidad
Instructions
40
½ c butter or margarine
½ tsp salt
¾ c cream
2 tsp vanilla
½ c milk
1 tsp coconut flavoring
3½ c sugar
½c
1
Combine sugar, cream, salt, butter and milk in a large heavy saucepan and heat
2
Over medium heat, stirring only until sugar is dissolved. Continue to cook until it reaches the soft ball stage.
from heat and when almost 3 Remove cold, add vanilla and beat until creamy.
3
Stir in coconut and turn into greased 8"x 8" pan. Cut when cool.
shredded coconut
Colophon Theme: The theme of my cookbook is Caribbean desserts. Main Focus: The main focuses of this book are specially chosen desserts from six of the Caribbean’s islands. Which are Bahamas, Barbados, Cayman Islands, Grenada, Jamaica, and Trinidad. There are two desserts chosen from each of the six islands, which is what completes the book. Photographs: The photographs used in this book are taken from www.google.com and www.flickr.com. The pictures are zoomed in for emphasis. Some of them were edited in Adobe Photoshop before being placed inside the book document. They are all high quality and high resolution images. Software: The programs that I used to completed this cookbook are Adobe Photoshop and Adobe InDesign. Design and Creation by: This book was designed and created by Janell Thorpe. It has a simplistic look to it because when you're cooking or preparing something it should get straight to the point to give less time in the kitchen. Color coordination is a good way to keep everything consistent. Printing: It was printed at the Art Institute of Washington, Arlington, Virginia Service Bureau. It was all completed in May of 2012. Specifications: This cookbook was designed and printed at the size of 8 inches wide by 8 inches high and a total number of 32 pages, which includes the front and back covers. It was also printed on medium weight plain paper. Colors: The colors blue and green used in the beginning of the cookbook are representational of the coolness and warmth of the Caribbean as well as the beautiful waters. Each recipe page color was taken from the dessert beside it.
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