Jamaican Coconut Ginger Bun

We're in Lent inching towards Easter which means alot of bun and cheese as Jamaicans reflect on the life and death of Christ. If you're tired of the same ole traditional buns here's a DIY coconut inspired recipe to try. If you do, leave a comment below to let us know how it turned out!

Ingredients
1 large egg
1 tsp. vanilla
1 cup Grace coconut milk
3 tbsps grated ginger
1 1/2 cups brown sugar
2 cups flour
3 tsps. baking powder
1/4 tsp. salt
2 tbsps. cinnamon powder
2 cups grated coconut
1 cup soaked raisins
3 whole green cherries
3 whole red cherries

Method:
1. Preheat oven to 350 degrees F or 180 degrees C and grease a loaf/bun pan.

2. Beat egg and vanilla then add Grace Coconut Milk, melted margarine, grated ginger and sugar. Mix well until all the sugar granules are dissolved.

3. In a bowl combine flour, baking powder, salt, cinnamon, shredded coconut and soaked raisins.

4. Add half the dry ingredients to the liquid mixture and mix then add the other half of the dry ingredients and mix well.

5. Scrape the batter in bun tin then decorate with green and red cherries.

6. Put to bake for about 1 hour.

*Recipe adapted from original Grace foods recipe book published in the Jamaica Observer.

Jamaican Curry (Curried) Goat

Serves 4

Ingredients

1 lb goat mutton (cut in 1 inch pieces)
1 whole garlic (diced)
1 scotch bonnet pepper
1 tsp. Jamaican curry powder (yellow)
1 tsp. Indian curry powder (orange)
1 piece of ginger chopped
2 tbsp. cooking oil
2 large onions (diced)
2 tsp. allspice or 'maggie season it up'
2 cups stock or bouillon
Salt to taste
3 small cubed Irish potatoes

Optional: 1 tsp. ground pimento or 5 whole seeds

Method

1. Season meat, preferably the night before or first thing in the morning with the onion, garlic, all spice, pimento and Jamaican curry powder. Stab meat several times with fork and leave meat to soak up seasoning. 
2. Put a dutch pot or regular cooking pot to boil with stock/boiuillon and irish potato.
3. In a frying pan, heat oil and add pieces of chopped ginger and the orange curry powder. Add meat and brown, try to save back the seasonings for the final cook down.
4. Transfer browned mutton and seasonings to pot with potatoes and allow to simmer together for 2 hrs or until done. When almost ready to serve, puncture scotch bonnet pepper with a fork and add it whole to the pot.

Serve with cooked white rice or rice and peas.

Jamaican Mocha

Serves: 4

Ingredients

2 cups freshly brewed strong Jamaican coffee
1 square Unsweetened Baking Chocolate, chopped
1/4 cup sugar
1 tsp. ground cinnamon
1-1/2 cups milk
1-1/2 tsp Vanilla
1/4 cup whipped cream

Method

1. Place coffee and chocolate in heavy saucepan; cook on very low heat until chocolate is melted and mixture is well blended, stirring constantly with wire whisk.
2. Stir sugar and cinnamon. Bring to boil on medium heat; cook until sugar is dissolved, stirring constantly. Gradually add milk and vanilla, stirring until well blended. Cook until well heated, stirring occasionally.
3. Pour into 4 large cups or mugs. Top with whipped cream.
4. Garnish with a sprinkle of cinnamon or shaved chocolate. 

Jamaican Egg Nog Cheesecake

Evening treat

Ingredients

1 cup Graham cracker crumbs
2 tbsps white sugar
3 tablespoons melted butter
3 (8 oz) packages cream cheese (softened)
1 cup white sugar
3 tbsps all-purpose flour
3/4 cupp eggnog
2 eggs
2 tbsps rum
1 pinch ground nutmeg

Method

1. Preheat oven to 325 degrees Fahrenheit
2. In a medium bowl combine Graham cracker crumbs & 2 tbsps sugar and butter. Press into bottom of a 9 inch springform pan
3. Bake in preheated oven for 10 minutes. Place on a wire rack to cool
4. Preheat oven to 425 degrees Fahrenheit
5. In a food processor combine cream cheese, one cup sugar, flour and eggnog; process until smooth. Blend in eggs, rum and nutmeg. Pour mixture into golden crust.
6. Bake in preheated oven for 10 minutes.
7. Reduce heat to 250 degrees Fahrenheit and bake for 45 minutes, or until centre of cake is barely firm to touch.
8. Remove from the oven and immediately loosen cake from rim. Let cake cool completely before removing rim.

Did you use this recipe? Drop a line to share how it turned out.

Jamaican Strong Back Punch (Quick & Easy Sunday Beverage)

Serves 3-4; Time: 5 minutes

Ingredients

1 bottle of Guinness

1tin of Nestle Supligen or Vanilla based shake

2 cups carrot juice

2 tbsp. Wray & Nephew rum cream

4 tbsp. condensed milk or evaporated milk

(or as much as desired)

1-2tsp. Vanilla

¼ tsp. nutmeg

Method

1.       Blend together Guinness, Supligen, carrot juice, Bailey’s, vanilla and nutmeg.

2.       Sweeten with condensed or evaporated milk.

3.       Serve chilled on ice cubes.