It’s not unusual to smell the savory aroma of jerk chicken, curried goat or saltfish emanating from every kitchen in Jamaica. All are popular dishes in the Caribbean island nation and among foodies across the globe. But have you ever wondered what Jamaicans enjoy after every meal?
Jamaican Cuisine: From Savory to Sweet
Rich, delectable Jamaican food is a mix of cultural integration. People worldwide, from India and China to Africa, have stamped their flavor profiles in Jamaica’s cuisine. So, it is not uncommon to see pantries stocked with ingredients for curried chicken, callaloo and dumplings, and goat intestine soup.
Jamaica’s sweet treats use the same blend of diverse ingredients, making them lip-smackingly good. As you read this appetizing list, you will realize you may be more familiar than you think with some of these blissful bites.
1. Rum Cake
Recognized the world over, the rum cake is a classic Jamaican dessert. It’s a staple in some homes during Christmas and paired with a drink called sorrel (a mix of rum, cinnamon, cloves, hibiscus, finger sugar and orange peel). The traditional rum cake is made with various fruits like currants, raisins, and prunes and infused with overproof Jamaican rum (meaning it contains over 50 percent alcohol by volume). The recipe also includes sherry, wine and rosewater.
2. Sweet Potato Pudding
The island is rich in root crops, so it is little wonder that many will make their way into desserts. One of which is the yummy and nutritious sweet potato.
Home cooks make sweet potato pudding by grating the crop and mixing it in a creamy batter of coconut milk, flour, sugar, nutmeg, vanilla and salt. Some bake it in an oven, and others use a traditional method of putting hot charcoal on the top and bottom of a baking pan sitting on a coal stove.
Jamaicans usually have a plate of it on Sundays with family. You could have it with coffee from the Blue Mountains and condensed coconut milk or with a glass of warm milk.
3. Gizzada
Gizzada is Jamaica’s answer to the typical tart. The dessert is an open-topped pastry shell filled with a spicy but sweet coconut custard. Its other name is “pinch-me-round” because of the pinched shortcrust pastry. The mini coconut tart has nutmeg and cinnamon or ginger.
4. Bulla Cake
A bulla cake is round and flat, making it look more like a massive pancake than a cake. Unlike most cakes, this Jamaican dessert isn’t “flashy” with elaborate decoration and icing. But do not let its simplicity fool you; this dessert is rich and spiced with molasses, nutmeg or ginger. It’s a popular treat for kids in school who eat it with avocado and cheese.
5. Blue Drawers (Duckunoo)
Of all the Jamaican desserts, the duckunoo is the most representative of the island. Home cooks make it using banana leaves, giving it its tropical presentation. The filling mixes grated green bananas, coconut, brown cane sugar, sweet potato, or cornmeal. Jamaicans slow cook the little parcels in boiling water. If you like sweet potato pudding, you may find this treat irresistible.
6. Coconut Toto
Coconut and rum – if your favorite desserts contain these ingredients, you’ll adore coconut toto. The texture of desiccated coconut marries well with the creamy mixture of eggs, butter, milk, ginger, and other spices. Bake it in a tray and cut it into squares.
7. Banana Fritters
Banana fritters were born out of a desire not to waste food. These fried golden treats use overripe bananas. You crush the bananas with flour, baking powder, eggs, brown sugar, nutmeg and vanilla essence. Once you’ve made the batter, drop spoonfuls into a frying pan and cook until golden brown.
8. Coconut Drops
Another coconut-based Jamaican dessert, coconut drops are tiny pieces of coconut meat boiled with a mix of brown sugar, vanilla, powdered ginger and salt. You’ll typically find these simple treats sold at school gates in Jamaica.
Peanut drops are an alternative to coconut drops. These treats are made the same way with the same mix of ingredients.
9. Ackee Ice Cream
Ackee is Jamaica’s national fruit. You could consider it like a tomato; it’s a fruit, but cooks sometimes use it as a vegetable in dishes. The fruit grows on evergreen trees across Jamaica. Jamaicans use the fruit with saltfish, the country’s national dish. But the fruit is also delectable in desserts, like ice cream.
You parboil the fruit, mix it with heavy whipping cream and bring it to a simmer in a saucepan. Then, combine it with vanilla and condensed milk until smooth. Whip some whipping cream and fold it into the ackee mixture. Place it in a pan, freeze it and enjoy your no-churn ackee ice cream. Try pairing it with gizzada.
10. Hummingbird Cake
Finally, a showpiece of a dessert, one you’ll probably find in a more contemporary Jamaican food menu in Dubai or any other global city. The hummingbird cake has been a popular dessert in the US since the ‘70s but originates in Jamaica. The name comes from a Jamaican hummingbird species called red-billed streamertail.
What’s in the hummingbird? It’s a banana-pineapple spice cake with flour, pecans, eggs, cinnamon, vanilla, sugar, salt and a leavening agent. Unlike other Jamaican cakes, the hummingbird is airy and light with a soft sponge. It’s served with cream cheese frosting, not your typical tropical ingredient.
Out of all the Jamaican desserts, the hummingbird is not as representative of the island. Its ingredients are more inspired by the island’s British heritage.
Enjoy Sweet Paradise on a Plate
Other Jamaican desserts include tamarind balls, banana bread, cornmeal pudding (an alternative to sweet potato pudding), a Jamaican fruit salad (pineapples, papaya, jackfruit and mangoes) and plantain tart.
Jamaica’s food is as diverse and rich as that of any island nation. You can expect more than the typical spicy jerk chicken, ackee, and saltfish. The country’s range of desserts is sure to satisfy your craving for sweets.
