USVI Coconut Dumb Bread

About This Recipe

Dumb bread — baked without an oven, using heat from below and above — is a Virgin Islands tradition. The coconut-flavoured dough is placed in a cast-iron Dutch oven and baked low and slow on a stovetop burner, producing a dense, moist loaf.

Ingredients

Serves 8

• 3 cupsall-purpose flour
• 1 cupshredded coconut
• 2 tspbaking powder
• 2 tbspsugar
• ¾ cupcoconut milk
• ¼ cupwater

Instructions

1. 1

   Mix dry ingredients

   Combine flour, shredded coconut, baking powder, sugar, and a pinch of salt.

2. 2

   Add liquids

   Stir in coconut milk and water until a shaggy dough forms. Knead briefly.

3. 3

   Shape and place

   Shape into a round and place in a lightly greased Dutch oven. Place over the lowest possible heat.

4. 4

   Bake stovetop

   Cover and cook 35–40 minutes, rotating pot occasionally, until a skewer comes out clean.

   Place a heat diffuser under the pot if available.

Variations

• •

  Add raisins or dried fruit.

• •

  Sprinkle sugar on top before covering for a sweet crust.

Storage

Store wrapped at room temperature up to 3 days.

Frequently Asked Questions