Pillow soft, just the right amount of spice and sweet. These ackee easter buns are a must try. The ackee flavour isn’t very noticeable but it is the ackees and that help to make the buns so incredibly moist!

Leading up to Easter in Jamaica you will find stacks of boxed Easter buns and tins of cheese in the supermarket. It’s the time of year I’d indulge in more bun and cheese than usual but without the guilt. After all it IS Easter and that means you must have spice bun and cheese.

I have a few recollections of my mom making stout buns and my grandmother hot cross buns. This recipe is a pulling together and re-imagining of sorts but manages to be truly unique.

Ackee-easter-buns,-the-perfect-addition-to-your-brunch-spread

Including ackee in yeast bread isn’t that unusual. Potatoes are often used in bread to make it soft. And I’ve done pumpkin bread in a similar fashion with amazing results. I figured likewise the ackee would do the same and was truly happy with the outcome.

Because of the amount of sugar and spice in the recipe, it’s added after the initial mixing, to allow the dough to start to develop a good structure.

A fair bit of patience is required as with any bread making, but the results make it worth it.

ackee easter bun with cheese

What do you think? Feel free to share your comments below and if you try this or any of the recipes, be sure to #amazingackee so that I can see your posts across social media.

As always, thanks for stopping by 😊

Ackee-easter-buns-are-the-perfect-balance-of-sweet-and-spice,-a-jamaican-easter-favourite-with-a-twist

Ackee Easter Buns

Pillow soft, just the right amount of spice and sweet, these Ackee Buns are a must try
Print Recipe Pin Recipe
Course Snack
Cuisine jamaican
Servings 1 dozen

Ingredients
  

  • 1 Cup 180g Parboiled ackee, pureed (packed tightly into the measuring cup before pureeing);
  • 2 ½ Cups 300g All purpose Flour;
  • 1 tbsp 6g Non-fat Milk Powder;
  • 1 tsp 5g Salt;
  • 2 tsp 6g Instant yeast;
  • 1 Egg;
  • 6 tbsps 85g Unsalted butter, cold;
  • 6 tbsps 75g Brown sugar, packed;
  • ½ tsp 1g Cinnamon;
  • ½ tsp 2g Orange peel;
  • ½ tsp 1g Ground pimento (Jamaican allspice);
  • ¾ cup 120g Raisins, soaked and drained;
  • 2 tbsps 30mL Water;
  • 1 tbsp Apricot jam for glazing, optional

Instructions
 

  • In the bowl of a standmixer fitted with the paddle attachment combine: ackee, flour, milk powder, salt, yeast, egg and water;
  • Mix on low speed for 5 to 8 minutes till well combined (the dough will seem very rough but provided that all the flour has been moistened, do not be tempted to add more water as the dough will loosen up once the remaining ingredients are added);
  • Pound or roll the butter between a piece of plastic or parchment so that it is cold but malleable. Add the butter to the dough with the mixer still running bit by bit till incorporated.;
  • Once the butter has been added, add the sugar, spices and raisins and continue to mix till smooth and elastic. The dough should be very silky; it will appear sticky but shouldn’t stick to your hands.;
  • Grease or spray a large bowl with oil and scrape the dough into the prepared bowl turning once to coat with oil. Leave to rise in a warm place for about an hour;
  • After an hour, the dough should have puffed up nicely, turn it onto a lightly floured surface and press down gently;
  • Cut into 12 equal pieces or 6 if you want them larger. Make into rounds and place on a parchment lined sheet tray, cover with a clean kitchen towel and let rise for 40 minutes to an hour.;
  • At the 30 minute mark set your oven to 350F (sooner than that if it takes long to warm up);
  • Once the buns have risen, bake in preheated oven for 12 to 15 minutes. Watch carefully at the halfway mark as they get colour very easily, you may have to reduce the temperature to 325F.;
  • Thin the apricot jam (if using) with a quarter cup of hot water to make a glaze for the buns. When the buns are done, brush them with the jam while still warm;
  • Enjoy!

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