Barbados
is often referred to as Little England, as we were colonized by the
British in 1625. In many ways our little Rock still shows our once
strong allegiance to the Queen - cricket is our national sport, we drive
on the left (i.e. the correct) side of the road, places in Barbados are
named after those in Britain, such as Kent and Kensington and we still
rightly include the letter 'u' in words such as favour and savour.
We
also, to some degree... value the foods that the Brits brought to our
tiny island. Now, I'm not saying fish and chips could ever compare with
a good ol plate of flying fish and cou-cou, but one of my favourite
childhood treats was definitely influenced by the introduction of Rock
Buns to Bim (another nickname for Barbados, but
actual source is unknown). We definitely took the recipe and
Caribbeanized it with additions of coconut and Muscovado sugar and then
simply called them Rock Cakes. This inexpensive recipe is one that
easily creates an afternoon treat to be enjoyed with a cuppa
- a pleasure that we Bajans also happily inherited from Great Britain.
For
me these snacks were included at birthday parties or as a surprise
treat when arriving home from school. Even when your mum had no time to
bake, there was always a pastry vendor in a van, or a quick trip to
Purity Bakeries, to help feed the insatiable hunger of a West Indian
child. Rock cakes were even one of those recipes we all had to learn in
Second Form Home Economics, from our sweaty, albeit lovely, Home Ec
teacher... Ok maybe that part was just my experience... Regardless, I
was still never put off these lovely, coconuty morsels that crumbled
just so, and if you were lucky, had half of a maraschino cherry on top!
I've
done my research on Rock Cakes, compared recipes and then used what I
thought to be the best advice on making them. I then made my own
tweaks and additions and I think I've come up with something pretty darn
tasty, and yes, great with my afternoon Earl Grey. I must confess that
after I pulled them out of the oven I said to my Aussie "These didn't
quite come out like my mother's...". He rather astutely pointed out,
"Well your mother didn't bake them...". Thank you for putting it all
into perspective my love ;)
Spiced Coconut Rock Cakes
Makes 6
Ingredients:
1/8 cup dried cherries,
roughly chopped
1/8 cup raisins
2 tbs dark rum
2 cups all purpose flour
1/2 tsp cinnamon
1/4 tsp freshly grated
nutmeg
1 tsp baking powder
1/4 cup butter
1/4 cup vegetable
shortening
1/2 cup shredded coconut
1/2 cup Muscovado sugar,
with extra for sprinkling
1 tsp vanilla
2 eggs, room temperature
4 tsp milk
1.
Preheat oven to 360F and lightly butter the baking sheet.
2.
Pour rum over dried fruits and heat in microwave for 20 seconds. Set aside.
3.
Add spices and baking powder to flour and stir to combine.
4.
Rub both fats into the flour and spice mixture with fingertips
until it resembles fine breadcrumbs.
5.
Drain fruits and add along with the coconut and sugar and
mix evenly.
6.
Beat the vanilla with the eggs and pour into mixture. Combine.
7.
Add milk slowly and mix with hands until a soft dough is formed.
8.
With a spoon and a fork, divide dough into six equal portions and place
on the baking sheet, shaping each into a rough cone.
9.
Sprinkle the top with a little (or a lot!) more sugar and bake in the middle of the oven for 20 – 25 minutes
or until golden brown, rotating the sheet halfway through baking time.
10. Transfer to a cooling rack to cool until you can’t take it anymore and
just have to have one!
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