Sweet, spicy and packed with flavour. These are some appropriate adjectives for traditional Jamaican desserts. In more traditional homes, desserts are made from scratch and often include authentic, home-grown spices and fruits. To the delight of the children and grandchildren, the desserts are usually prepared by older members of the family – grandma, mom, dad or that one aunty who’s been cooking since she was 9. In some cases, the children display their ‘Sunday Best Behaviour” so they can be rewarded with large portions of their favourite Sunday evening confections!
In no particular order, here are 5 Jamaican desserts that will bring you sweet memory of your childhood.
1. Sweet Potato Pudding
This pudding is a classic Jamaican dessert. The ingredients are usually easily-sourced. However, its preparation requires high-proficiency in baking to achieve the smooth-textured and rich-in-flavour pudding. While the Sunday dinner finishes on the stove, the sweet potato pudding is prepared on a coal-stove in the open-air backyard of most homes.
2. Cornmeal Pudding
Cornmeal is a course flour ground from dried corn. It is considered a versatile staple in Jamaican homes and is used to make breakfast, lunch, dinner meals and dessert. Cornmeal pudding has a similar texture to the sweet potato pudding. The difference for the cornmeal pudding is its custard-like topping that is a delight for many Jamaicans.
3. Rum and Raisin-flavoured Ice Cream
Whether you’re a rum lover or not, once you’re a Jamaican, rum and raisin ice cream has to be one of your favourite desserts. Any time of the day but especially on a warm Sunday afternoon after dinner, rum and raisin-flavoured ice cream is usually on the menu. In some communities, this dessert is delivered by “fudgi” or “the ice cream man” who uses a bike to sell ice cream in communities especially on Sunday afternoons.
4. Greater Cake
Don’t be fooled by the name. Greater cake isn’t a type of cake – rather it’s a candy we make from sugar and coocunts! Please be cautious with this sugary treat if you are diabetic. But honestly, Greater Cakes are delicious and it’s safe to say most people are attracted to the gritty texture which comes from the coconut and the bright pink colour which bring a whole lot of festivity to your tastebuds.
5. Fruit Cake/Black Cake
During the Yuletide Season, this dessert is a regular in cupboards or on tables in Jamaican homes. Traditional Jamaicans prefer to make their fruit and rum-infused black cake from scratch, however, nowadays this authentic Jamaican dessert is available for purchase in supermarkets and grocery stores across the island and even in grocery stores in foreign countries where many Jamaicans reside.
If you aren’t Jamaican, try visiting the nearest Caribbean food store to try some authentic Jamaican desserts.
If you are Jamaican, tell us about the other desserts you enjoyed as a child growing up in this island paradise. Tell us in the comments section below.
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