Irresistible Sweet Bread Recipe by Chef Shaun 🇹🇹 Foodie Nation

Trinidadian sweet bread, also known as "Coconut Sweet Bread" or simply "Sweet Bread," is a popular treat in Trinidad and Tobago, especially during the Christmas season. It’s a delicious, rich bread made with grated coconut, dried fruits, and spices.

Yield – One 9” Loaf.

Ingredients

Brown Sugar - 1 cup + ½ cup

Raisins – ¼ cup

Currants – ¼ cup

Chopped Cherries - 1/3 cup

Mixed Fruit - 1/3 cup + ½ cup

Mixed Essence - 1 tsp + ½ tbsp

Cinnamon Powder – ½ tsp + ½ tbsp

Grated Nutmeg – ½ tsp + ½ tsp

Grated Tonka Bean – ¼ tsp + ½ tsp

Warm Water – 6 oz + 1 cup

All Purpose Flour - 3 cups

Baking Powder - 1 tbsp

Grated Coconut - 1 cup

Unsalted Butter - 5 oz (room temp.)

Bay Leaf – 1

Method

Preheat your oven to 350F.

In a bowl, add 1 cup brown sugar, raisins, currants, cherries, 1/3 cup mixed fruits, 1 tsp mixed essence, ½ tsp cinnamon powder, ½ tsp nutmeg, ¼ tsp tonka bean & 6 oz of water.

Mix until sugar is dissolved, and all your ingredients are combined.

Set aside.

In another bowl, combine, flour, baking powder, coconut & butter.

Add your wet ingredients into your dry ingredients.

Mix to combine.

Transfer to greased loaf pan.

Top with 1/2 cup mixed fruit.

Bake at 350F for 1 hour to 1 hour.

For base add remaining sugar, mixed essence, cinnamon, nutmeg, tonka bean & bay leaf to a small saucepan.

Bring to a boil and allow to reduce by half.

Set aside.

Remove sweet bread from oven once fully cooked.

Let cool in pan for 5 to 10 minutes.

Remove from pan and allow to fully cool before slicing.