My Signature Guyanese Bakes

Bakes are a staple in my household. My wife and two girls love to wake up in the morning to my freshly made bakes. Bakes in the morning translate to bakes or 2-3 days. They can be eaten for breakfast lunch and dinner.

I have my bakes with eggs in the morning, by itself for a snack, salt fish at lunch and salt and ackee the next day for dinner :).

I got creative one day and made a special princess version of the bakes for my girls.

Below is the recipe I follow from Guyana Dining.

Enjoy this recipe for Fried Bakes or Guyanese Bakes and Floats. Though it is called a bake, it is not cooked in an oven. Rather, it is deep fried. Floats is probably the most apt name for them because once in the oil, the dough floats to the surface and puffs up.

Ingredients

1. 4 cups all purpose flour

2. 4 teaspoons baking powder

3. 1/4 tsp salt

4. 1 Tbsp white granulated sugar

5. A pinch ground cinnamon (optional)

6. 1 tablespoon unsalted butter

7. Lukewarm water

8. Oil for deep frying

Instructions

1. Add flour, baking powder, salt, sugar and cinnamon (if using) to a large bowl and mix thoroughly.

2. Rub in butter to flour mixture.

3. Add enough water to make a soft dough. When the dough comes together, knead for 2 – 3 minutes. Rub the dough with oil and let rest, covered for at least 30 minutes.

4. Knead rested dough for 1 minute and then divide the dough into 10 equal pieces and form into balls.

5. Heat oil in a deep pan and let come up to 350 degrees F. The oil should be hot but definitely not smoking.

6. Roll one piece of dough into 3 1/2 to 4-inch circle. Add dough to oil – the dough should sink and within 2 second start floating to the top of the pan. Using a long-handled pot spoon, spoon oil over the top of the dough so that it continues to puff up, as soon as it puffs up, flip it over. You will notice that it starts to bubble and move around the pan. Let cook until the side is nicely browned.

7. Using a slotted spoon, remove bake from pan draining off the excess oil. Add to a paper-toweled bowl.

8. Repeat the process from until all the bakes are made.

9. Serve with Fried Shark or Fried (sauteed) Salt Fish, eat as it or with cheese, butter, ham, jam or jelly.

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