Hi Everyone,
Bajans (Barbadians) use the word ‘proper’ to signify that some thing, place or person is of the highest standard, quality and calibre. It is not a word lightly stated. In fact, the word ‘proper’ has been used to such great effect in a marketing and advertising campaign to sell pork, that when we hear of ‘proper’ pork, we know exactly where the meat comes from and we know of its quality.
In a day and age where there is much mediocrity and a certain lack of standards, it really helps to have handles by which one can identify the quality of something. I am sure that the same is true for Guyana and elsewhere.
A couple of weeks ago I spied a van outside one of the busy shopping centres here (in Barbados), where a man was selling freshly baked goods. You could tell that the things were fresh – the beguiling aromas synonymous with bakeries and home-baking exploits filled the air. The coconut slice, pone, turnovers etc were all very warm to the touch. The bags were opened to avoid the items steaming up, that’s how fresh and warm they were. I had my mind set on the coconut turnovers.
Let me back up a little here. A few years ago when I had my first Bajan coconut turnover, the experience was not that good and so I had vowed never to buy it again. A proper Bajan coconut turnover is sweetened coconut encased in a rich, sweet dough. Since that first experience, if I wanted coconut turnovers, I’d make them myself. However, when I saw the man and the van with the freshly baked goodies, I decided to throw caution to the wind and give it another shot. His stuff looked good and a second chance in certain situations is always a good thing.
I think we all know where this is heading so let’s cut to the chase. The coconut turnovers I bought were not proper. There was no filling. The sparse sprinkling of coconut that was present lay just beneath the crust and the rest of the turnover was all bread dough. I was so vex I tell you! I had my mind set on the turnovers and you know that the disappointment is worse when that happens.
I decided to make a batch of coconut turnovers to get the turnover-fix I was looking for. I called up some of friends to let them know that I had made some coconut turnovers and if they’d like to have a couple. Their responses were revealing.
Rather than say outright, yes, I’d love a couple, I was greeted with interrogation. What essence (extract) did you use to flavour the coconut? What is the colour of the dough? Does the turnover have an actual filling? Is there ample coconut filling in the turnover? I wanted to laugh at them and put down the phone at the same time. I wanted to laugh because there clearly was a high standard for a proper Bajan coconut turnover, so we were on the same page. But I wanted to put down the phone because after all these years, you would think that they would know better than to ask such questions of me, as if I would do anything half-hearted. These are people who have been eating my food for years and know of my standard and yet, here they were questioning the quality of my coconut turnovers! The nerve!
The exchange with my friends cemented for me though that if you are going to do or make something, then do it properly. They explained that they stopped buying certain things, in this case, coconut turnovers ages ago, “…because what people are making to sell is not proper.” I am happy to report that my turnovers got high marks for being proper and now I am constantly being harassed: “When next you making turnovers?”
I am friendly with a Canadian couple of Caribbean heritage, currently visiting Barbados. I took some coconut turnovers to them the other day and in thanking me the woman apologetically asked if there was coconut filling in my turnovers. We’re friendly that way so she felt comfortable asking. I smiled and nodded. Even though a visitor, she knew what a proper coconut turnover should be.
Bajan Coconut Turnovers
Yield: 12
INGREDIENTS
For dough:
2 ¾ cups all-purpose flour
½ teaspoon table salt
4 oz cold unsalted butter
¼ cup white sugar
4 teaspoons instant yeast
1 cup warm whole milk 115 degrees F
1/3 cup sugar water
Brown sugar for sprinkling
For Filling:
2 cups of fresh, finely grated or shredded coconuts
¾ cup white sugar (use less if you like)
½ teaspoon ground cinnamon
1 teaspoon almond essence
DIRECTIONS
1. Mix together flour and salt.
2. Cut in butter to flour mixture until very fine.
3. Add sugar and yeast to a large cup; pour in milk and stir a few times and then add to flour-butter mixture to make a dough. When the dough comes together, transfer to a lightly floured surface and knead for 2 minutes.
4. Place dough in an oiled, large bowl, cover with plastic wrap and or kitchen towel, place somewhere warm and let rise until doubled in size. About 1 hour or more depending on your location.
5. While the dough is rising, mix all the ingredients for the filling and let rest. The sugar will melt and the coconut will become clear, glassy-looking and gooey-sticky.
6. Lightly oil a baking sheet on which to rest the dough as you work.
7. Brush 4 small loaf pans (8 x 4), with oil.
8. Punch down risen dough, knead gently for 30 seconds and then divide dough into 12 equal pieces. Shape each piece of dough into a ball and transfer to the baking sheet; keep the dough covered to prevent it forming a skin as you work on one piece at a time.
9. Roll each piece of dough into a 3 – 4 inch circle and spread filling shy of ½-inch from the edges. Now you can fold the dough one of two ways – by lifting it over from one side to the other and pressing down to seal or you can lift the two edges together, starting from the middle and working your way down on both sides, pressing and sealing as you go along. Once sealed, push the pointed ends together making sure that the seal does not open and place in oiled pan, seam-side down. Repeat until all the dough and pans are filled. Each pan should have in 3 turnovers.
10. Cover prepared turnovers and let rise until more than doubled in size, about 30 – 45 minutes depending on your location.
11. 20 minutes before the second rise is done, preheat oven to 350 degrees F.
12. Brush turnovers with sugar-water and sprinkle with brown sugar.
13. Bake for 18 minutes, brush with sugar water and bake for another 2 – 3 minutes or until the turnovers are brown. Brush one more time with sugar water and remove pans from oven.
14. Transfer pans to cooling racks and let cool for 25 minutes before removing turnovers. Let them continue to cool on wire rack. Serve warm or at room temperature. When removing the turnovers, you will notice that the bottoms are sticky, don’t worry about it; it’s expected.
Enjoy!
Cynthia
Cynthia@tasteslikehome.org
www.tasteslikehome.org
