Caribbean Hard Dough Bread

Name: Caribbean Hard Dough Bread
Prep time: 25 min
Cook time: 35 min
Total time: 1 h
Yield: 8 servings
Cuisine: Caribbean British
Ingredients: 500 g strong white bread flour; 7 g fast-action dried yeast; 40 g caster sugar; 8 g Fine sea salt; 35 g vegetable shortening; 300 ml lukewarm water; 1 tbsp Vegetable oil; 15 g plant butter

A classic dense Jamaican white loaf with a golden crust and subtly sweet flavour, beloved across south London Caribbean bakeries.

🇬🇧United Kingdom· London

Prep: 25 min
Cook: 35 min
Total: 60 min
Servings: 8
Difficulty: Medium
Calories: 275 kcal

Ingredients

0 of 8 gathered

Servings

500 g strong white bread flour — plus extra for dusting
7 g fast-action dried yeast — one standard sachet
40 g caster sugar — provides signature mild sweetness
8 g Fine sea salt — about one and a half level teaspoons
35 g vegetable shortening — softened at room temperature
300 ml lukewarm water — around 38°C
1 tbsp Vegetable oil — for greasing the tin and bowl
15 g plant butter — melted, for brushing warm crust

Equipment

•900g (2lb) loaf tin
•large mixing bowl
•measuring jug
•wire cooling rack
•pastry brush

Nutrition

Per serving, approximate

Calories: 275 kcal
fat: 4 g
carbs: 51 g
fibre: 2 g
protein: 8 g
calories: 275 kcal

Instructions

1
Whisk the flour, yeast, caster sugar, and fine sea salt together in a large mixing bowl.
2
Rub the vegetable shortening into the flour mixture using your fingertips until no large lumps remain.
3
Pour in the lukewarm water and stir with a wooden spoon until a firm, shaggy dough forms.
4
Tip the dough onto a clean worktop and knead firmly for ten minutes until smooth and dense.
5
Flatten the dough into a rectangle and roll it up tightly like a Swiss roll to build tension.
6
Place the rolled dough seam-side down into a lightly oiled 900g (2lb) loaf tin.
7
Cover loosely with a clean tea towel and leave to rise in a warm spot for one hour.
8
Preheat your fan oven to 180°C.
9
Bake the loaf on the middle shelf for thirty-five minutes until deeply golden and sounding hollow when tapped.
10
Turn the bread out onto a wire cooling rack and brush the hot top crust immediately with melted butter.
11
Leave the loaf to cool completely before slicing thick with a serrated knife.

Chef's tips

Unlike airy European sandwich loaves, hard dough bread requires tight rolling and minimal proofing to ensure its characteristic tight, dense crumb. Make sure the water is lukewarm rather than hot so you do not kill the yeast. Brushing the crust with melted plant butter immediately after baking keeps the outer crust glossy and soft.

Ingredient substitutions

vegetable shortening → unsalted butter or lard
plant butter → melted unsalted dairy butter

Storage

Store wrapped in greaseproof paper in a bread bin at room temperature for up to four days.

Reheating

Toast thick slices lightly under a medium grill or in a toaster until warmed through.

Common mistakes to avoid

•Letting the dough over-proof, which creates large air pockets instead of a tight, dense crumb
•Not rolling the dough tightly enough before placing it in the loaf tin
•Slicing the loaf while still hot, which makes the dense crumb turn gummy

Serving suggestions

Sliced thick and toasted with salted butter and strawberry jamServed warm alongside Jamaican ackee and saltfishFilled with sharp cheddar cheese or spiced bun and cheese