Conkies

A Conkie is a dessert produced around Barbados' Independence Day, when we commemorate the end of slavery and the country's independence from its'mother' country, England. Conkies are created with freshly grated pumpkin and coconut, as you could have imagined. As you can see, coconut is a popular food on Barbados. In Barbados, as well as the rest of the Caribbean, trees are plentiful!

The coconut and pumpkin are blended with aromatic spices, vanilla, sugar, and currants before being wrapped in banana leaves. The mixture is then cooked in a large pot until the bundles are firm. The end result is a silken pocket of spicy sweetness that is wonderfully sculpted!

Ingredient

• 3 banana leaves, rinsed and patted dry
• 3/4 cup packed light brown sugar
• 1/2 cup milk
• 1 egg
• 1/2 teaspoon ground cinnamon
• 1/2 teaspoon nutmeg
• 1/2 teaspoon almond extract
• 6 tablespoons unsalted butter, melted
• 1 cup yellow cornmeal
• 1/4 cup all-purpose flour
• 1/2 teaspoon salt
• 1/2 cup coconut powder
• 1 cup calabaza or kabocha squash, seeded, pared, and shredded
• 1 medium yam, peeled and shredded
• 1/4 cup dark raisins
• 1/2 cup whipping cream
• 1 tablespoon sugar
• 1 teaspoon vanilla extract

Instructions

• With scissors, cut 12 banana leaf squares, 9” x 9”. Tear remaining leaf pieces into 1/4” wide strips. Pour boiling water over the leaf squares and strips to make them pliable, then drain.
• In a large bowl whisk together brown sugar, milk, egg, cinnamon, nutmeg, and almond extract until smooth. Whisk in melted butter. Then whisk in cornmeal, flour, and salt. Stir in coconut powder, squash, yam, and raisins.
• Spoon about 3 tablespoons of the mixture into the center of a banana leaf square. Fold over the top and bottom to enclose the filling, then fold in the sides to form a packet.
• Gently flatten the filling to an even thickness of 1 to 1 1/2 inch. Tie up the packet with a leaf strip to keep the flap from unfolding.
• Arrange the packets in a circle, overlapping, like the petals of a flower, in a steamer.
• Cover and steam over 2 inches of water on medium-low heat (checking water level occasionally) 1 hour.
• In a chilled bowl, whip the cream until it forms soft peaks. Beat in the sugar and vanilla.
• Serve Conkies warm, placing the parcels on dessert plates, so that each person may unwrap his own dessert.
• Serve whipped cream on the side.