Despite the name, these flavorful disks of dough are fried. Fried to perfection. Although they are from the Caribbean, it's hard to pinpoint a precise origin as the recipe hopped around and changed from one island to the next, arriving at Guyana at some point. The heavy influence in the area of Indian and West African cuisine means that many fried doughs coming from these places are similar to the current bakes. Our Guyanese bakes are easy to make and are great as a breakfast dish served with eggs or sausage. Nonetheless, they're most commonly served in the Caribbean stuffed with shark or salt fish.
Caribbean bakes are all different. Some have a yeasted dough, and some are leavened by baking powder. Although in many versions the disks are fried, some are flatter, and some are fluffier. Also known as roast bakes when cooked on a griddle, baked bakes when baked in the oven, and floats or fry bakes when fried, Caribbean bakes are ubiquitous on several islands and in Guyana.
Don't miss out on the satisfaction of biting into a hot and chewy bake as soon as it comes out of the hot oil. Sprinkle it with cinnamon sugar, add cheese and ham, smear it with butter or cream cheese, or eat it as is. Serve it instead of rolls with your next stew or soup, or stuff it with other meats, like beef, pork, chicken, or lamb.
Ingredients
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4 cups all-purpose flour
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4 teaspoons baking powder
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1/4 teaspoon salt
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1 tablespoon sugar
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1 pinch ground cinnamon, optional
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1 tablespoon unsalted butter
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1 cup lukewarm water
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2 cups oil, for frying
Steps to Make It
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Gather the ingredients.
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In a large mixing bowl, whisk together the flour, baking powder, salt, sugar, and optional cinnamon until thoroughly mixed.
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Rub the butter into the flour mixture until you have a sandy texture.
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Add enough water, 1 tablespoon at a time, to make a soft dough.
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When the dough comes together, knead it for 2 to 3 minutes on a floured work surface.
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Rub the dough with some of the oil and let it rest, covered, for at least 30 minutes.
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Knead the rested dough for 1 minute and then divide the dough into 10 equal pieces. Form a ball with each portion.
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Roll out each ball of dough into a 3 1/2- to 4-inch disk. Reserve.
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Heat the oil in a deep pan and let it come up to 350 F. The oil should be hot but definitely not smoking. Use an instant-read thermometer if you have one, or test it by submerging a wooden spoon into the oil and seeing if bubbles start to come up—this means the oil is ready.
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Add the disks into the heated oil. The dough should sink and within 2 seconds start floating to the top of the pan. If necessary, work in batches so as not to overcrowd the pan and lower the oil temperature too much.
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Using a long-handled ladle, spoon oil over the top of the dough so that it continues to puff up.
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As soon as it is fully puffed, flip it over. You will notice that it starts to bubble and move around the pan. Let cook until the bottom side is nicely browned.
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Using a mesh spider strainer or slotted spoon, remove bake from pan, draining off the excess oil.
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Place in a paper towel-lined bowl. Repeat the process until all the bakes are fried.
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Serve hot with your favorite sides or fillings.
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Enjoy.
Nutrition Facts (per serving) | |
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594 | Calories |
46g | Fat |
40g | Carbs |
5g | Protein |
Nutrition Facts | |
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Servings: 10 | |
Amount per serving | |
Calories | 594 |
% Daily Value* | |
Total Fat 46g | 60% |
Saturated Fat 4g | 19% |
Cholesterol 3mg | 1% |
Sodium 250mg | 11% |
Total Carbohydrate 40g | 15% |
Dietary Fiber 1g | 5% |
Total Sugars 1g | |
Protein 5g | |
Vitamin C 0mg | 0% |
Calcium 117mg | 9% |
Iron 3mg | 14% |
Potassium 54mg | 1% |
*The % Daily Value (DV) tells you how much a nutrient in a food serving contributes to a daily diet. 2,000 calories a day is used for general nutrition advice. |
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