Fried Bakes Or Floats Food

FRIED BAKES OR FLOATS

Steps:

• Using a sieve over a large bowl, sift together flour, baking powder, sugar, and salt. Add the butter and, using your fingertips, work it into the flour mixture to form pea-sized pieces. While stirring with a wooden spoon, slowly add water in a stream, until the flour starts to leave the sides of the bowl. When dough is soft, but not sticky, transfer it to a lightly floured work surface.
• Knead the dough, divide and roll the dough into small balls the size of golf balls. Cover the dough balls with a damp paper towel, covered by a regular kitchen towel, and let rest for 10 minutes.
• Knead the dough balls for a second time until smooth and soft to the touch, and let rest, covered again with the 2 towels, about 10 minutes more.
• Using a rolling pin, roll each dough ball into a 4-inch disk
• Pour the oil into a wok to a depth of 2 inches. Place the pot over medium heat and heat until a deep-fry thermometer reads 375 degrees F. Working in batches, fry the dough disks, turning once, until golden brown and puffed, about 30 seconds per side. Using a slotted spoon, transfer the bakes to a paper towel-lined plate. Serve with Trinidadian dal, rice, and bhaji, or your favorite stew or casserole.

FRY BAKES(CARIBBEAN-SAINT LUCIA)

Steps:

• Add all ingredients to the bowl of a stand mixer fitted with dough attachment, OR you can do this by hand.
• Mix until a soft dough forms.
• If you can stand to wait thirty minutes to an hour, let the dough rest and rise. If you can't wait, these bake up great even if you cook them right away. But they do become rather lovely little plump pillows once they do puff up.
• Right before cooking, pat them down into relatively thin discs (about 1/4 inch thick).
• Fry in a 1/4 inch of oil on both sides until puffy, browned, and cooked through. Try your heat set to medium and this should be about perfect. You might need to play around with your temperature to get it to cook through on the inside before the outside gets too dark.
• Note:.
• You could eat them straightforward, or with a lot of icing sugar or you can put raisins, dried currants, little pieces of apple, etc. in the dough before frying for a nice variation.

MAMA'S FRY BAKES ( ST. VINCENT AND THE GRENADINES)

Steps:

• If not using yeast, omit step 6. The dough can be rolled out and fried immediately.
• Mix together the flour, salt, baking powder and yeast.
• Rub in the shortening.
• Add sufficient water to the flour mixture to make a smooth dough.
• Knead dough lightly until smooth.
• Cover with a damp cloth and leave dough to relax for ½ hr).
• After dough has rested for ½ hour, divide and shape into 12 balls.
• Roll each ball of dough on a lightly floured surface, to 1/4 " thick and 3 1/2" round.
• Fry in hot oil until brown on both sides.
• Put on paper towels to absorb excess oil.
• These freeze well and can be reheated in the microwave.