Johnnycakes
MEGA BLOGGING MARATHON – APRIL 2018
#87TH BLOGGING MARATHON
THEME: EXPLORE THE FLAVORS – INTERNATIONAL BREAKFAST
DAY 10
“Breakfast like a King, Lunch like a Prince and Dine like a Pauper”
One of the most difficult letter to find a breakfast dish is J. I say one of because I still have to figure out what I’ll be doing with X. Last minute idea is there where I might use the word Xtra and prepare something. However, being a teacher the misspelling bothers me. Anyway by next week will have some solution to X. With J after much research I landed on Johnnycakes. There aren’t many options unless you use the word jam and think of a breakfast dish, like jam butter and toast (naahhhh, too easy!).Just as confusing as the letters J and X, are the Johnny Cakes. Each Caribbean Island (and we know there are so many) will claim Johnnycakes as theirs being the most authentic.
I admit I got mighty confused and was about to throw in the towel and prepare jam when I stumbled up a recipe I liked. Some Johnnycakes are made with cornmeal, some with all purpose flour. Some are baked, some are fried and some are prepared like pancakes. So which one to choose? I didn’t have yellow cornmeal so those recipes got eliminated. Then the confusion was to bake or fry. I went for the fried version. To me they tasted like what we call in Kenya mandazi a popular breakfast dish. Its like a cross between fried doughnuts and cake. The Johnnycakes had a slight crispy outer coating and the inside was almost like a cake. Overall verdict, my neighbors, hubby, my maid and I, we all enjoyed it with some tea. While hubby slathered his with butter, I opted for cheese and my maid had it with some jam.
Johnnycakes, or journey cakes or Johnny bread is said to have originated from the natives of America. These days, Johnnycakes are made from Canada all the way down to Jamaica. It is believed that they were called journey cakes because they were packed for the plantation workers to consume at lunchtime or as a snack. These were also carried during long journeys. Johnnycakes are popular at any meal time from breakfast to dinner. Johnnycakes still are popular as replacement for bread. They are enjoyed with some butter, jam, cheese or salt fish. While most johnnycakes are slightly sweet, savory ones too can be prepared.
Here’s J for Johnnycake from the CARIBBEAN ISLANDS. I don’t know who serves them the best, so its best to include all the Caribbean Islands.
#87TH BLOGGING MARATHON
THEME: EXPLORE THE FLAVORS – INTERNATIONAL BREAKFAST
DAY 10
“Breakfast like a King, Lunch like a Prince and Dine like a Pauper”
One of the most difficult letter to find a breakfast dish is J. I say one of because I still have to figure out what I’ll be doing with X. Last minute idea is there where I might use the word Xtra and prepare something. However, being a teacher the misspelling bothers me. Anyway by next week will have some solution to X. With J after much research I landed on Johnnycakes. There aren’t many options unless you use the word jam and think of a breakfast dish, like jam butter and toast (naahhhh, too easy!).Just as confusing as the letters J and X, are the Johnny Cakes. Each Caribbean Island (and we know there are so many) will claim Johnnycakes as theirs being the most authentic.
I admit I got mighty confused and was about to throw in the towel and prepare jam when I stumbled up a recipe I liked. Some Johnnycakes are made with cornmeal, some with all purpose flour. Some are baked, some are fried and some are prepared like pancakes. So which one to choose? I didn’t have yellow cornmeal so those recipes got eliminated. Then the confusion was to bake or fry. I went for the fried version. To me they tasted like what we call in Kenya mandazi a popular breakfast dish. Its like a cross between fried doughnuts and cake. The Johnnycakes had a slight crispy outer coating and the inside was almost like a cake. Overall verdict, my neighbors, hubby, my maid and I, we all enjoyed it with some tea. While hubby slathered his with butter, I opted for cheese and my maid had it with some jam.
Johnnycakes, or journey cakes or Johnny bread is said to have originated from the natives of America. These days, Johnnycakes are made from Canada all the way down to Jamaica. It is believed that they were called journey cakes because they were packed for the plantation workers to consume at lunchtime or as a snack. These were also carried during long journeys. Johnnycakes are popular at any meal time from breakfast to dinner. Johnnycakes still are popular as replacement for bread. They are enjoyed with some butter, jam, cheese or salt fish. While most johnnycakes are slightly sweet, savory ones too can be prepared.
Here’s J for Johnnycake from the CARIBBEAN ISLANDS. I don’t know who serves them the best, so its best to include all the Caribbean Islands.
JOHNNYCAKES
Makes 8
Recipe Source: Food52.com
3 cups plain flour (all purpose flour)
1 tbsp baking powder
2 – 4 tbsp sugar
2½ tbsp cold butter, cut into cubes
¼ tsp salt
1 cup coconut milk or water ( I used coconut milk)
oil for deep frying
- Sift flour, baking powder and salt together into a big bowl.
- Add sugar and mix well.
- Add the butter and rub it into the flour using your finger tips. The mixture should resemble breadcrumbs.
- Add the coconut milk and bring the flour together into a rough dough.
- Dust the worktop with some flour. Put the dough on it and knead till it becomes smooth. The dough should not be hard or soft.
- Place the dough back into the bowl. Cover with a tea towel and let it rest for 20-30 minutes.
- Dust the worktop with little flour. Divide the dough into 8 parts.
- Roll the parts into a ball.
- Using very little flour either pat with your fingers or using a rolling pin, make a circle with one part of the dough. It should be about ¼” thick.
- Roll out the balls as above.
- Prick the rolled out circles with a knife or a fork.
- Heat oil in a deep pan or wok one medium heat. Put a tiny piece of dough into the hot oil. If it comes up immediately then the oil is ready.
- Add 2- 3 johnnycakes to the hot oil and fry, turning them over frequently so that they brown evenly.
- Serve warm johnnycakes with butter, jam, cheese, salt fish or ham and some tea or coffee.
Tips:
- Don’t fry the johnnycakes over high heat as the inside will remain raw.
- Place the fried johnnycakes on a kitchen towel.
- I used 2 tbsp sugar and that was just right for us. If you like the johnnycakes to be a bit more sweeter add more sugar.
A-Z breakfast Dishes:
A – Apple Aebleskiver – Denmark
B – Baghrir – Morocco
F – French Toast – Canada
G – Griddle/Girdle Scones – Scotland
H – Hafragrautur – Iceland
I – Idiyappam – India
Check what other Mega Blogging Marathoners have made for Day 10:
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10 Comments
cookingwithsapana
May 1, 2018 at 1:24 pm
Johnnycakes looks like a filling and delicious breakfast. Love the entire setup and the presentation.
mayurisjikoni
May 2, 2018 at 11:28 am
Thank you Sapana. Coming from you it means a lot as I simply love your setups.
Kalyani
May 2, 2018 at 11:05 am
they look quite flaky and crispy .. and glad you could figure out what version of the dish worked for u !
mayurisjikoni
May 2, 2018 at 11:14 am
Thanks Kalyani, I really liked the johnnycakes I made.
Priya Srinivasan
May 4, 2018 at 2:42 pm
That looks flaky and with some butter and jam, these must taste delicious 😊 nice find for ‘J’
mayurisjikoni
May 5, 2018 at 11:44 pm
Thanks Priya, they were a bit flaky but also soft because of the yeast.
Sandhya Ramakrishnan
May 9, 2018 at 5:51 am
what a great find for the alphabet and the Johny cakes would be delicious with the coconut milk. I would love to give this a try Mayrui!
mayurisjikoni
May 9, 2018 at 9:49 pm
Try them Sandhya, we loved them. Something different to enjoy with coffee.
Simply Tadka
June 19, 2018 at 1:11 pm
Perfect snack for breakfast,,, love the way you make it.
mayurisjikoni
June 19, 2018 at 11:29 pm
Thanks Preeti