Once in a while, an unexpected combination of ingredients creates pure decadence. Jamaican coconut bread with tropical cream cheese dip is that unexpected recipe. You wouldn’t guess it by looking at the photograph, but one bite in and you’ll know exactly what I’m talking about.
After returning from Jamaica last year, it inspired me to get creative in the kitchen. Jamaican food has a unique character of its own and classic dishes like spicy jerk chicken and fried
Until Jamaica, I had never heard of Jamaican coconut bread. While there are many versions of coconut toast on the Internet;
Though you can use plain white bread in this recipe, I absolutely adore Brioche because of its rich, buttery-soft texture. In Jamaica, they add nutmeg and cinnamon in many of their recipes. Inspired by their choice of ingredients, I incorporated each spice with a little sea salt and enhanced the flavor with Madagascar vanilla. Made from the vanilla bean, Madagascar vanilla adds a wonderful sweetness you can't get from vanilla extract.
If your local grocer doesn’t sell Brioche, no worries. You can still make this recipe with great success. Just choose your favorite fresh, soft, white bread and go with it. I used raisin bread in my last batch and it was fabulous! For an extra special (adults only) touch, try adding my authentic Jamaican rum raisins.
Try at some of my other authentic Jamaican recipes below:
I hope you enjoy this recipe! If you’ve made it please share it with me by tagging @culinarybutterfly on Pinterest.
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| Prep Time | 10 minutes |
| Cook Time | 20-24 minutes |
| Servings |
servings
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- 4 slices Brioche or your favorite white bread
- 1/2 cup butter, melted
- 1 teaspoon Madagascar vanilla or pure vanilla
- 1/8 teaspoon cinnamon
- 1/8 teaspoon nutmeg
- 1/8 teaspoon sea salt
- 1 large egg, beaten
- 1 cup sweetened shredded coconut
- 1 cup fresh pineapple
- 1 cup banana slices
- 3/4 cup cream cheese
Ingredients
Jamaican Coconut Toast
Tropical Cream Cheese Dip
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- Preheat oven to 350° F. Prepare ingredients.
- In a medium bowl, whisk together melted butter, vanilla, cinnamon, nutmeg, and sea salt. Add egg and continue to whisk until combined.
- Stir coconut into the mixture until combined.
- Lay the bread slices on to a baking sheet. Divide the coconut spread into 8 equal portions. Spread 1 portion of the mixture on the top of each bread slice and lay them on a baking sheet.
- Bake 12 minutes or until the bread begins to turn lightly golden brown, being careful not overbake. Remove the pan from oven, turn the bread over and spread remaining coconut portions on top of each piece. Continue to bake 5 to 8 minutes or until the bread turns light golden brown. Remove from oven and transfer the toast to a cutting board and cool for 5 minutes before slicing.
- When the toast is slightly cooled, cut each slice into 3 equal strips using a sharp knife.
- Serve warm with tropical cream cheese dip.
- Add the pineapple, banana, and cream cheese to a blender and process on high until creamy.
- Pour the dip into a serving bowl and refrigerate until ready to serve.
IDEAS!
- You may use any type of white bread you prefer. I chose Brioche because of its soft tender texture and rich buttery flavor. The final result in this recipe creates a crispy sweet outside and soft buttery inside.
- This bread is so delightfully unique that it can be served as a sweet appetizer, a dessert with tea, or as a side to meals that call for a sweeter bread.
Recipe by Lisa Soldo-Johnson for www.culinarybutterfly.com