Pan Bon - Traditional Caribbean Bread

• Cooking Time: 1 hour
• Yield: 10 servings
• Level: Intermediate

Ingredients

• 8 cups all purpose flour

• 3 1/2 cup water

• 2 tablespoon yeast

• 1/2 cup brown sugar or tapa de dulce, ground

• 1/2 cup oil

• 2 tablespoon vanilla

• 1/4 tablespoon cinnamon, ground

• 1/4 teaspoon nutmeg, ground

• 1/2 cup candied fruit

• 1/2 cup raisins

Directions

1. Combine yeast with 2 cups warm water in a bowl. Add 2 1/2 cups flour and mix. Let it stand for three hours.

2. Place grinded tapa de dulce in a saucepan. Add 1 1/2 cups water. Bring it to boil. Boil until the tapa de dulce is completely dissolved.

3. Pour tapa de dulce liquid into a bowl. Add the flour-yeast mix, 5 1/2 cups flour, oil, vanilla, cinnamon, nutmeg, candied fruit, and raisins. Mix until smooth.

4. Cut the dough into three equal pieces. Form three rolls. Save a little dough to decorate cake and cut it in thin pieces. Decorate rolls forming small figures with thin pieces of dough.

5. Bake for 30 minutes. Transfer to a rack to cook on a pan for 10 minutes, then invert onto the rack. Transfer the cake to a serving plate, turn right side up and let cool completely.