When you think of Bajan food, you usually think of the tasty dishes for lunch or dinner. Apart from these mouthwatering dishes, you can find sweet treats to snack on between meals or even as a dessert. Here are 5 sweet treats that you should definitely try on your Barbados trip.
Sugar Cakes
Photo: www.mybajan.com
When you think of cake, you might instantly think flour. Don’t be fooled by the name – sugar cakes are not cakes as you know them. This treat is a combination of grated coconut, sugar and spices baked to perfection. Traditional sugar cakes were brown, as their ingredients included molasses but these days you can find them in many colours and even flavours such as bay leaf and pina colada.
Nut Cakes
Yet another cake that isn’t a cake but candy! This snack has simple ingredients but a big taste. It is prepared by adding sugar and spices to peanuts and baking them. Traditionally, these could be found for sale along the streets with other candy but now you can also find them pre-packaged in supermarkets.
Tamarind Balls
Tamarind trees can be found throughout Barbados. The fruit is used to make a sweet treat which is especially popular among children. If you’ve tasted a tamarind before, you know that they can be considered a sour fruit. However, the combination with brown sugar and spices makes it one of the most loved local treats. In recent times, some people have even gone on to make ginger tamarind balls. Whatever your preference, just be sure to be mindful of the tamarind seeds which are left in the snack.
Sweet Bread
Photo: www.justbajan.com
Sweet bread is also widely known as coconut bread. Key ingredients include flour, butter, grated coconut, sugar, raisins and cherries, among others. This is normally eaten for breakfast, tea or just as a snack. Although it is readily available from bakeries, shops and supermarkets, it is especially popular for holidays such as Independence and Christmas. On these days, the smell of sweet bread in the air is almost euphoric. A warm slice with a hot cup of tea is a definite must try.
Comforts
Comforts are traditional sweet treats which are like soft mints. They are made by combining sugar and peppermint and these ingredients are then “pulled” to create a light and airy consistency. They are prepared as white strips with a red dot at the top. Although not as popular as past times, they can still be found in supermarkets.
Barbados' sweet treats are delicious and are a big part of the island’s culture. Book your stay at The Crane Resort for your visit to Barbados and taste these sweet treats and let us know how much you enjoyed them!