Jamaican Easter Spiced Bun #SundaySupper

Mar 24, 2013 by

Spring is here and slowly, the weather is coming around. The snow is almost melted and I’m excited for what the new season has to offer. Today for #SundaySupper, we are sharing Easter and Passover recipes and our wonderful host is Carla from Chocolate Moosey! You will find lots of Easter and Passover inspiration from the #SundaySupper bloggers at the end of the post. Be sure to check them out. We have a terrific line  up for you, as always.

It’s funny how you can have the worst week, yet there is always something that can help raise your spirits, or take your mind off things for a while. Stealing time to prepare my Easter Spiced Bun for #SundaySupper did just that for me this week. Out of nowhere, my routine got disrupted and I found myself riding a wave of change that I was just not expecting. Life throws things your way and you just have to swim. Sinking is not an option. Decisions have to be made and sometimes what you have to do, is essentially taking one for the team. I’m a true team player, especially for my family. So this past week was not for me at all. I sacrificed sleep, blogging and good nutrition so that I was able to get things done. My children have been absolute troopers! Waking up at 6am was unusual for them however, they managed to join me as I started my day like the wonderful little soldiers that they are. I can see this disruption coming to an end hopefully by the end of this week. I’m sure I will need time to recuperate. But I’m embracing the experience and summing it up to preparation for when the kids start school in the fall. Chances are, I still won’t be a morning person by then.

So on to this awesome Jamaican Easter Spiced Bun. I’ve made a few buns and I must say, I’m impressed by the variety that is out there. I’m not sure if people are just tired of a standard Easter Bun or are just willing to embrace change and experiment a little. I said to a friend of mine recently, who wasn’t so happy that I coined my Jamaican Zucchini Spiced Bun as being “Jamaican”, we can’t have just one variety of bun! Personally, I love that the main Jamaican publications are issuing Easter Cookbooks with many Easter Bun recipes. If there was only one recipe, I wouldn’t have a bun recipe to share with everyone on my blog this year. It is safe to say that as long as everyone is willing to get creative, I will have something wonderful to bake and share for Easter.

Wouldn’t you like to try this? A wonderful variation of a Jamaican Easter Bun … made with Red Label Wine.

 Jamaican Easter Spiced Bun_1

 

Here are the other Jamaican Easter Buns that I have made:

My very first Jamaican Easter Bun, made from a very old recipe that my Mom gave to me. I also added a brief history of the Jamaican Easter Bun

An absolute favourite of mine, Sweet Potato Bun

A moist and awesome twist on an Easter staple, Zucchini Spiced Bun 

 

Print
Jamaican Easter Spiced Bun #SundaySupper

Prep Time: 30 minutes

Cook Time: 50 minutes

Yield: 10-12 slices

Ingredients

  • 3 Cups All Purpose Flour, Unbleached
  • 3 Tsp Baking Powder
  • 3 Tsp Mixed Spice
  • 1 Cup Dark Brown Sugar
  • 1 Egg
  • 1 Cup Red Label Wine (or a red wine of your choice)
  • 1 Cup Raisins
  • 1/4 Cup Boiling Water
  • 1/3 Cup Unsalted Butter, melted
  • 1 Tsp Lime Juice
  • 1 Tsp Vanilla Extract
  • 1/8 Tsp Salt

Instructions

  1. Preheat oven to 350F
  2. Soak Raisins in 1/4 Cup boiling water, set aside
  3. In a medium bowl, combine flour, baking powder, mixed spice, and salt. Set aside.
  4. In a large mixing bowl, beat egg until foamy.
  5. Add sugar, butter and wine, beating after each addition.
  6. Gradually, add the dry ingredients. Mix until smooth.
  7. Fold in the raisins along with any liquid from soaking.
  8. Transfer to a greased loaf pan, lined with parchment paper
  9. Bake for 40-50 minutes or until a toothpick inserted comes out clean
  10. Optional glaze: 1/4 Cup Brown Sugar + 1/4 Cup Water. Bring to a boil then simmer for 10-15 minutes until thick. Brush all over then bun and then put the bun back in the oven for about 5 minutes.
  11. Allow to cool before slicing

Notes

Recipe adapted from Enid Donaldson's Real Taste Of Jamaica

https://lovelypantry.com/2013/03/jamaican-easter-spiced-bun-sundaysupper/

 

I turned to my favourite cookbook for this recipe. None other than Enid Donaldson’s The Real Taste Of Jamaica. I’m not sure if you’ve ever seen a recipe and decided that you were not going to make it that way. That is what happened with me. The original recipe called for 2 cups of brown sugar. I couldn’t bring myself to do it. So I just used a cup. I was also sure to use Mixed Spice, which I posted recently. I decided to increase the butter from 1 tablespoon to 1/3 Cup. I know, big difference – but it came out just great!

 

Jamaican Easter Spiced Bun_2

Jamaican Easter Spice Bun – Ingredients

 

The batter was quite firm, but I believe soaking the raisins and having the extra liquid helped to loosen it up while folding the raisins in.

 Jamaican Easter Spiced Bun Collage (prep)

 

Glazing a bun is totally optional. However I prefer the texture of the bun after it has been glazed. That little extra added sweetness is really something wonderful.

 

Jamaican Easter Spiced Bun_3

Jamaican Easter Spiced Bun – Glazed

 

I should note something about a Jamaican Bun. It is not a bread that is light and fluffy. It is a heavy, dense bread that is rich in flavours. In Jamaica, I enjoyed bun with Jamaican cheese. Since it can be quite pricey to get that type of cheese in North America, the next best thing (and probably better for you) is Cheddar Cheese. The cheddar that is closest in taste and texture is a sharp cheddar. We enjoyed ours with a mild cheddar that complimented the bun very well. Bun can be enjoyed as an open-faced sandwich as well as a sandwich type snack. I enjoy my cheese well secured between two slices of bun, with just a little butter to seal the deal.

 

Jamaican Easter Spiced Bun_5

Jamaican Easter Spiced Bun

 

Here are some Easter and Passover recipes to inspire you for this upcoming season!

Easter

Breakfast, Breads, and Buns

Appetizers and Sides

Main Dishes

Dessert

Passover

Dessert

Wine Pairing Recommendations for #SundaySupper Religious Feasts from ENOFYLZ Wine Blog

 

***

Join the #SundaySupper conversation on Twitter on Sunday, March 24 to talk all about Easter and Passover recipes!

We’ll tweet throughout the day and share recipes from all over the world.

Our weekly chat starts at 7:00 pm EST. Follow the #SundaySupper hashtag, and remember to include it in your tweets to join in the chat.

Check out our #SundaySupper Pinterest board for more delicious recipes and food photos.

 

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Jamaican Zucchini Spiced Bun #Easter #TwelveLoaves

Mar 1, 2013 by

Welcome to March! So long February and hopefully spring weather will be right around the corner. With a new month comes a special season – Easter, for those who celebrate. We also have St. Patrick’s Day coming up too.  Today I’m sharing a very interesting recipe that caught my eye. I saw Zucchini as the main ingredient and wondered how on earth would that work with a bun recipe? I was pleasantly surprised with the result.

In Jamaica during the Easter season, Jamaicans enjoy a cake/bread called “bun”, usually served with a local cheese. I made my very first Jamaican Easter Bun last year using a recipe my Mom used to use while we were living in England. When you are living outside of Jamaica, it is very hard to find a real authentic bun that tastes like those from home. So I decided to try different recipes and save the really good ones. Soon I realized that there are quite a few variations being used these days. I’m not sure if these variations are being sold at the supermarkets in Jamaica – I haven’t heard of that yet. I’m happy to see the creativity by those who choose to deviate slightly from a traditional tasting bun. My first deviation from the norm, was a Sweet Potato Bun. I was delighted at how lovely it was! I’m sure I will be making it again this season.

Now, a bun made with zucchini is bound to raise some eyebrows. I’ve never heard of such a thing 🙂

 Jamaican Zucchini Spiced Bun

 

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Jamaican Zucchini Spiced Bun #Easter #TwelveLoaves

Ingredients

  • 2 1/4 Cups All Purpose Flour, Unbleached
  • 1 Cup Granulated Sugar
  • 2 Tsp Vanilla Extract
  • 1/8 Tsp Salt
  • 3 Tbsp Orange Juice
  • 4 Tsp Molasses
  • 1 1/2 Tsp Mixed Spice
  • 1/2 Tsp Orange Zest
  • 1/2 Tsp Cinnamon
  • 1 packet Active Dry Yeast
  • 1 1/2 Tsp Baking Powder
  • 3/4 Cups Water
  • 1/2 Tsp Almond Extract
  • 1 Cup Shredded Zucchini
  • 1 Cup Raisins
  • 1/2 Cup Golden Raisins

Instructions

  1. Proof the yeast: In a small bowl, combine yeast, 1 tsp sugar and 1/4 cup warm water. Cover and leave for a few minutes while it activates (foaming will occur)
  2. Spray and flour a loaf pan. Set aside.
  3. In a large mixing bowl, add flour, sugar, salt, mixed spice, orange zest, cinnamon, and baking powder. Whisk to combine.
  4. Using a standing mixture with a paddle attachment, add and mix in the water, vanilla, molasses, and almond extract.
  5. Mix in the yeast mixture
  6. Fold in the zucchini, followed by the raisins
  7. Pour mixture into prepared loaf pan. Cover and set aside for about an hour.
  8. Bake at 350 for 50 minutes or until toothpick inserted comes out clean
https://lovelypantry.com/2013/03/jamaican-zucchini-spiced-bun-easter-twelveloaves/

 

I found this recipe in the Jamaica Observer’s Easter Cookbook 2012. I probably overlooked it before because it used yeast. I adapted this recipe by using half the ingredients,  omitting rum and replacing it with orange juice. I also substituted mixed peel for golden raisins. I’m just not a mixed peel kind of lady. I think the Chefs that came up with this recipe did a great job. I’m glad that my adapted version came out well.

 

Jamaican Zucchini Spiced Bun-1

Ingredients for Jamaican Zucchini Spiced Bun

 

Zucchini added such wonderful moisture to this loaf. I felt good knowing that this vegetable was present. The raisins added a familiar burst of sweetness. A great combination!

 

Jamaican Zucchini Spiced Bun - main ingredients (a)

 

Look at all those raisins! No doubt, this bun smelled marvellous while it was baking.

 

Jamaican Zucchini Spiced Bun - Cut

Zucchini Spiced Bun for Easter

 

And there you have it. A twist on a traditional Easter staple, using fresh zucchini and raisins. This is my contribution to this month’s #TwelveLoaves challenge. We will be focusing on holiday themed bread for the holidays celebrated during the month of March . Bake a bread (yeast or quick bread), loaf or individual. Do you have a favorite Easter or St. Patrick’s Day Bread? We would love to see it. Let’s get baking!

 

Jamaican Zucchini Spiced Bun-6a

Jamaican Zucchini Spiced Bun

 

 

Look at what our very talented #TwelveLoaves bakers have created this March!

We would love to have you join our #TwelveLoaves group! It’s easy!

1. When you post your Twelve Loaves bread on your blog, make sure that you mention the Twelve Loaves challenge in your blog post; this helps us to get more members as well as share everyone’s posts. Please make sure that your Bread is inspired by the theme!
2. Please link your post to the linky tool at the bottom of my blog. It must be a bread baked to the Twelve Loaves theme.
3. Have your Twelve Loaves bread that you baked this March, 2013 posted on your blog by March 31, 2013.



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Escoveitched Halibut

Apr 8, 2012 by

In continuing with the theme of Easter, I wanted to try a fish recipe that reminds me of  home but at the same time utilizing a fish that is familiar to most in the region where I live. Halibut is a really fresh, firm white fish that is rich in lean protein, Omega 3 Fatty Acids, B Vitamins and  Magnesium. Having said all that, I’m going to fry it! I don’t fry very often so I don’t feel bad at all. Moderation is key. In Jamaica, fried fish is one of my most favourite things to eat. This particular recipe includes a fried fish, covered with a vegetable/vinegar topping that rests over the fish for a few hours before the fish is served. I used Scotch Bonnet Pepper for the first time. I guess I’m getting really brave because I don’t tolerate “heat” very well!

I’m so glad I had my Mom to consult with on this recipe. I got the basic idea of the ingredients and then I put my little twist on it. Nothing major – it’s still Escoveitch 🙂 A friend of mine shared a very good tip with me about frying the fish- ensure the oil is very hot, and use very little flour on the fish. My fish was perfectly fried.

Escoveitched Halibut

 

 

Escoveitch or Escabeche is derived from Mediterranean origins and refers to fish (or some other white meat) being marinated in an acidic sauce or liquid prior to serving. In Jamaica, the vegetables are cooked down in a vinegar and water mixture and then poured over the fish, and allowed to marinate overnight or for a few hours. I could not wait for it to marinate so I ate my serving fresh from the pot and put the rest in the fridge for a more concentrated flavour.

 

Escoveitched Halibut
 
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Prep time
Cook time
Total time
 
A Jamaican dish that can be served for breakfast, lunch or dinner
Author:
Recipe type: Breakfast, Dinner, Lunch
Serves: 4
Ingredients
  • 4 Halibut Fillets
  • ¼ Cup Flour seasoned with salt and pepper
  • Oil for frying the fish {about ¼-inch deep}
  • 1 Lime to wash the fish
  • 4 Tbsp White Vinegar
  • 4 Tbsp Water
  • 4 Tbsp Vegetable Oil
  • 1 Tsp Sugar
  • Pinch of salt
  • 1 Carrot, julienned
  • 1 Sweet Green Pepper, julienned
  • ½ Zucchini, julienned
  • 1 Small Onion, thinly sliced
  • ½ Scotch bonnet pepper, thinly sliced
  • 6-8 Pimento Berries
Instructions
  1. Wash the fish with water and juice from the lime
  2. Pat dry with a paper towel. Dust with seasoned flour. Fry and set aside
  3. In a warm skillet, add oil
  4. Add Onion, Carrot, Sweet Pepper, Scotch Bonnet Pepper, Pimento.
  5. Stir to soften vegetables
  6. Add vinegar, salt and sugar
  7. Add zucchini and a little water
  8. Allow to cook for about 15 minutes until the vegetables are softened
  9. Pour over fried fish
  10. Allow to marinade for a few hours
  11. Serve at room temperature
Notes
Alternative way to cook Escoveitch: Bring a cup of water and a cup of vinegar to a boil. Add vegetables, pepper, salt, sugar and pimento and cook until softened. Pour over fried fish and allow to marinade overnight or a few hours The Scotch Bonnet pepper can be cut up or placed in whole then removed before pouring other the fish

 

This was the hardest part of the entire recipe. Slicing up all these veggies!!!

 

Vegetables for the Escoveitch

 

Washing fish in lime or lemon is very important. So I’ve been told. It helps to reduce the fishy smell, but I prefer fish that have a mild smell so I don’t usually wash with lime. I did for Escoveitch.

 

Lime and Halibut

 

Remember! Not too much flour…

 

Halibut in Seasoned Flour

 

I’m terrified of frying. Hot oil is no joke!

 

Halibut in oil

 

 

One side finished, no injuries so far 🙂

 

Halibut Golden Brown

 

Seriously, I could really get into frying stuff.

 

Fried Halibut

 

The colours were so vibrant and the smell was fantastic! You must believe!

 

Sweet Peppers, Carrot, Onion, Zucchini, Pimento, Scotch Bonnet Pepper

 

This dish is good for breakfast or dinner. It can be served with Fried Dumplings, Fried Breadfruit, or Fried Bammy!

 

Fried Halibut with Escoveitch Sauce

 

If you do make this dish, don’t be afraid to put more vinegar and water. This is my personal version that suits my palate and I get more of the vegetable flavour.  To get the real kick ~ use more vinegar and the whole scotch bonnet pepper. Leave it overnight.

 

I have a few more recipes like this to share then I have to make a date with my treadmill.

~Lyn

 

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Easter Muffins

Apr 7, 2012 by

It has been a busy few days and I’m just getting to post this now. The kids were tugging at my legs to get at these little treats. I did not decorate all the muffins because, well… my kids do a really cute thing. They eat the frosting and then say “Mommy! I’m finished!” – and they literally leave the muffin behind. Seriously. If there is frosting, more than likely, they will not eat the cake. Maybe this little thing they do isn’t so cute after all.

I found this recipe in a little book called “100 Muffins From 1 Easy Recipe”. Chances are, I’m going to make every muffin in this book. What caught my eye about this recipe was not necessarily the theme, even though I was certainly looking for an Easter recipe. The cupcakes were adorable! Very simple, compared to what I’ve seen out there, but adorable none the less. I will be the first to say it out loud that I’m not the best at decorating cakes. I only just started a few months ago (barely). I’m teaching myself so that I can at least do something, if needed. Practice makes perfect. I did my best so here’s my first Easter Muffin 🙂

 

Easter Muffins - Chocolate Muffins with Nest Frosting and Mini Chocolate Eggs

 

 

5.0 from 2 reviews
Easter Muffins
 
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Total time
 
A simple chocolate muffin, decorated with a simple frosting and mini chocolate eggs for Easter
Author:
Recipe type: Dessert
Serves: 12
Ingredients
  • 1½ Cups All Purpose Flour, Unbleached
  • ½ Cup Unsweetened Cocoa Powder
  • ⅛ Tsp Salt
  • ½ Cup Light Brown Sugar
  • 2 Large Eggs
  • 1 Cup Buttermilk
  • 6 Tbsp Sunflower Oil or Melted Butter (cooled)
  • Frosting:
  • 6 Tbsp Butter, Softened
  • 1½ Cups Confectioners' Sugar
  • 1 Tbsp Milk
  • A small pack of Sugar Coated Mini Chocolate Eggs, to decorate
Instructions
  1. Preheat oven to 400F
  2. Grease a 12 cup muffin pan or line with liners
  3. Sift together flour, cocoa, baking powder and salt into a large bowl
  4. Stir in the brown sugar
  5. Lightly beat eggs in a large measuring jug. Beat in the buttermilk and oil
  6. Make a well in the centre of the dry ingredients and pour in the buttermilk liquid
  7. Stir until just combined. Do not over mix
  8. Spoon the batter into the prepared muffin pan
  9. Bake for 20 minutes
  10. Allow muffins to cool in the pan for about 5 minutes then transfer to wire rack to cool completely
  11. Frosting:
  12. In a large bowl, beat the butter until light and fluffy
  13. Sift in the confectioners' sugar and beat together until smooth and creamy
  14. Lastly, beat in the milk
  15. When the muffins are cooled completely, put the frosting in a pastry bag with a large star tip attached and pipe a circle around the top of each muffin to form a "nest"
  16. Place chocolate eggs in the centre of each nest as decoration

 

I found these a few weeks ago. So perfect! I love that they are reusable and colourful too.

 

Silicone Muffin Liners

 

I wore my apron to do this. I’ve been powdered up by Cocoa one time too many! 🙂

 

Sifting the flour, cocoa, baking powder and salt

 

So this recipe called for only 1/2 Cup of brown sugar. The muffins were not overly sweet so I can see myself adding chocolate chips to this recipe in the future. No frosting needed, of course.

 

Fold in the brown sugar

 

 

Muffin batter ready for the oven

 

These came out quite wonky to me 🙂 The photograph in the book looked waaaaaay better than mine. A+ for effort though, right? 🙂

 

Easter Muffins, decorated

 

And then my Diva daughter decided that she did not want the cupcake with the mini chocolate eggs. Actually, she said that they were not in fact cupcakes because they had no sprinkles on them. She pointed to where I keep the sprinkles and requested that I make “real” cupcakes for her so that she could eat it.

Well excuse me.

The sprinkle princess had her way.

 

Cupcakes with Sprinkles

 

Take good care of you

~Lyn

 

 

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Jamaican Easter Bun

Apr 5, 2012 by

I wanted to make something Jamaican for Easter. I couldn’t think of anything more appropriate than Bun and Cheese. It’s a Jamaican tradition! I’ll be cooking all this weekend so this is the first of interesting things to come. I remember as a child living in England, my parents made Easter Bun and it made our home smell so fragrant. I was super excited when my Mom found the recipe that she had used all those years ago. I’m using some of the ingredients for the first time with this recipe. I’m glad I now have things like Anise Seeds in my pantry for future recipes. And I would have never guessed that I would be cooking with Dragon Stout again so soon!

This Bun smelt good in a traditional way. I personally prefer my bun with just raisins and not the mixed peel. But I really wanted to make it as traditional as possible. After looking at a few other recipes, this particular recipe uses Anise Seeds which is not included in modern Bun recipes. I’m fine with that. That means my recipe is special.

In Jamaica, Bun is a big deal. It is generally available throughout the year. If you usually buy Bun at the store, and have not yet purchased some by now – you may very well have missed out. Good thing I have this here recipe for you to actually MAKE Bun 🙂 That way, you won’t miss out. 🙂

I was asking some friends and family about the origins of Jamaican Easter Bun… it’s a tradition that not too many people are familiar with. Thanks to my Bestie for sending me the info as to how Jamaican Bun came about. The British traditionally had Hot Crossed Buns on Good Friday. This same custom was brought to Jamaica and transformed into what we know today as Easter Bun. Jamaicans spiced it up!

“Jamaica’s version is made with molasses, while the buns from England were made with honey. In Jamaica, you eat the bun with cheese, a combination that has become ingrained in island culture. British custom has waned when it comes to eating hot cross buns as fasting food on Good Friday, but in Jamaica the practice is as prevalent as ever. Today the custom is seen as more Jamaican than British. And eating cheese is now a year-round practice, while the bun and cheese dish is prevalent primarily during the Easter holiday.” – An excerpt from an article found on Jamaicans.com

 

Bun & Cheese

 

Print
Jamaican Easter Bun

Prep Time: 20 minutes

Cook Time: 1 hour

Total Time: 1 hour, 20 minutes

Yield: 10-12 slices

Ingredients

  • 1 ½ Cups Brown Sugar
  • 3 Cups Flour
  • 2 Tsp baking powder
  • 1 Cup Dragon Stout
  • 2 Tbsp melted butter
  • 1 Egg
  • 2 Tsp Anise seed, divided
  • 4 Tbsp molasses
  • ¼ Cup honey
  • 2 Tsp Allspice
  • 1 Cup mixed fruits and raisins
  • 1/4 Cup Sugar
  • 3 Tbsp Water

Instructions

  1. Dissolve sugar, butter, honey syrup and spices into Stout over medium heat
  2. In a large bowl, sift in flour then fold in fruits
  3. Beat egg then add to the flour mixture. Stir to combine
  4. Add Stout mixture to flour and half of Anise seeds
  5. Put in a greased pan lined with parchment paper
  6. Sprinkle rest of Anise seeds on top
  7. Bake at 350 F for 1 hour or until done
  8. Remove from oven.
  9. Make a glaze – Combine¼ Cup sugar and 3 tablespoons of water in a small bowl
  10. Brush on to bun

Notes

Once Bun has cooled, cover with saran wrap or keep in a zip lock bag in order to maintain moisture

https://lovelypantry.com/2012/04/jamaican-easter-bun/

 

 

This is the one cheese I have a severe weakness for. I’ll eat it any day of the week! It’s so terribly expensive here in Canada though. If it wasn’t for this post, I would have left it right there on the shelf. I’ve been delaying my cheese fix for when I visit Jamaica.

 

Only the BEST Cheese in the WORLD!

 

Dragon Stout, Guinness or Red Stripe Beer can all be used to make Bun.

 

Dragon Stout

 

Stout mixture reduced to a simmer.

 

Stout Mixture

 

 

Flour, Mixed Fruits, Raisins and Anise Seeds

 

 

Flour, Mixed Fruits and Anise Seeds

 

 

Stout mixture combined with flour mixture

 

 

Stout added to flour

 

Ready for the oven.

 

Easter Bun Batter sprinkled with Anise Seeds

 

The house smelled wonderful!

 

Bun – Fresh Out The Oven

 

 

Sugar & Water Glaze

 

 

First Slice

 

 

Bun and Cheese

 

Making this for the first time was great. The kids loved it. My husband was appreciative. He LOVES this stuff. I bet you next year, he’s going to be looking out for his Easter Bun.

 

Shout out to my Mom! Thanks for keeping this recipe safe so that I could do the unexpected and actually use it!!! *hugs*

I love my Mom.

 

For those that celebrate, have a happy and blessed Easter.

~Lyn

***

Other Buns you may like to try:

Sweet Potato Bun

Jamaican Easter Spiced Bun

Zucchini Spiced Bun

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