Fluffy, fried, and golden brown is a mouth-watering mixture that often describes the tastiest of treats. Although everyone can envision their own delicious delicacy, the Caribbean is home to a slightly flattened pastry that seems to tick off all the boxes. Originally named the “Journey Cake” after its grab and go tendencies, the “Johnny Cake” is an airy semi-sweet pastry that’s the perfect addition to any meal. Check out below recipe by Food 52 to see how you can make these small delights at home!
Ingredients:
• 3 cups all-purpose flour
• 1 tablespoon baking powder
• 2-3 tablespoons sugar
• 1 teaspoon salt
• 2 ½ tablespoons room temperature of butter
• 1 cup water
• 1 ½ cups vegetable oil for frying
Directions:
In a large mixing bowl, mix dry ingredients while folding in the butter. If batter becomes clumpy, add 1 cup of water and mix until smooth.
Before crafting the dough, make sure to sprinkle some additional flour onto a flat surface to ensure dough does not stick to surface, then knead dough until smooth and elastic. Feel free to sprinkle additional flour on the surface as needed.
After kneading, allow the dough to sit in a clean bowl covered with a towel for at least 30 minutes. While resting, begin to heat oil in frying pan over medium heat.
For each Johnny Cake create small balls of dough and roll out the dough into circles on a lightly-floured surface with a rolling pin or the palm of your hand. Be sure to not make them too thin or they will turn out as “Johnny chips” instead.
Before placing into oil, it’s very important to pierce each circle with a fork or sharp knife several times in order to give the pastry it’s iconic shape.
Now it’s finally time to drop dough in hot oil and fry on each side until golden brown. In order to avoid piercing the dough additionally, use tongs when flipping. Only flip dough once in order for each side to get its necessary love. To avoid them from becoming too greasy, avoid “crowding the pot” or else they will become too greasy. After frying, allow the cakes to cool and drain on paper towel.
ENJOY
