Jamaican Bulla Oat Cakes

This recipe came about because I wanted a “breakfast bun” that reminded me of a Jamaican “Bulla” that I used to eat as child growing up there. The thing with “Bulla” is that they tend to get stale quickly and have to be eaten when they are freshly baked. Also wanted it to be packed with cereals like oats and Flax, and fiber so I could eat it for breakfast (just one) and find it filling. I thought therefore to cross a Jamaican Rock Bun with a Bulla….this "Breakfast Bun" is the result of that thinking. Oat cakes are not a part of Jamaican culture but I think if one tastes these, they might well become a part of the diet. They are soft, sweet, and freeze well. One should be enough for breakfast.They are quite large (the size of a Bulla, about 3-4" in diameter).

Ingredients

½ tsp baking soda

1 tsp baking powder

2 cups flour

½ tsp cinnamon

½ tsp ground ginger (optional) 

1/2 tsp Jamaican allspice

½ tsp nutmeg

¼ cup sugar

¼ cup brown sugar ( I use Coconut sugar)

1/2 tsp salt

1/4 cup cold butter cut into small pieces

½ cup Crisco

1 cup Old Fashioned oats

½ cup oat bran

¼ cup flax meal

¼ cup Arrowroot flour

1/3 cup dried cranberries

1/3 cup walnuts, coarsely chopped

¼ cup peanut butter morsels

3/4 cup half and half

1 tbsp Maple Syrup

1 tbsp Molasses 
1 medium tart apple, coarsely shredded (optional but keeps them moister for a longer period)

1. Sift together the flour, arrowroot flour,  oat bran, baking powder, baking soda, cinnamon and other spices, sugar, brown sugar and salt. Keep the Old Fashioned oats separate, along with the cranberries, nuts and morsels
2. Rub in the butter and Crisco with your hands  till the mixture looks like coarse bread crumbs
3. Mix in the rolled oats, cranberries, nuts and morsels.
4. Add the milk/half and half, shredded apple (if using) molasses and maple syrup and mix together with hands until a soft, dry dough forms. If it feels moist, do not add extra flour, just let it sit for 10-15 minutes and the oats will absorb the extra moisture.
5.  Measure the dough in a ¼ cup measuring cup, roll between hands and form a ball. Flatten between palms as if you were making a hamburger patty (the finished product should be about that size, about 3-4” in diameter). Place “patty” on a parchment paper lined cookie sheet.
6. Bake in a 350 degree F oven for 20-25 minutes until browned. Cool on a wire rack. These buns will keep for several days in an airtight container but I also freeze them to maintain freshness as I don't want to eat them every day. Just take out of the freezer the night before. Microwave on low power the next day (in a 1000 Watt power oven, I use 5 minutes at 30% power), wrapped in a damp paper towel until the bun is heated through.

Plantain Oat Muffins with Peanut Butter Morsels

Coming from the Caribbean, Plantain was something we had with most meals, and in different forms, and stages of maturity. The ripe plantain was baked or boiled, and the green ones used to make chips. Aside from being served as a starchy accompaniment to a main meal, it also found its way into deserts such as Plantain Tarts. I have used the ripe ones before in another type of breakfast muffin but with this recipe, I decided to combine it with peanut butter morsels as I thought the flavors would go nicely together. They do! These are moist, and made a bit sweeter by the natural sugar in the ripe plantain.

Ingredients

¾ cup unbleached all-purpose flour

¾ cup whole wheat flour

1 cup rolled oats

1/2 cup brown sugar(use one with a strong caramel/toffee flavor e.g. Piloncillo, Panela, Coconut)

2 teaspoons baking powder

1 teaspoon baking soda

1 teaspoon cinnamon

½ teaspoon allspice

1/2 teaspoon salt

1 egg

1 cup half and half

1/3 cup vegetable oil

1 tablespoon lime juice

1/2 teaspoon vanilla extract

1 cup mashed baked, Plantain (see below)

1/3 cup peanut butter morsels

Directions

1. Combine flour, oats, peanut butter morsels, baking powder, spices, soda, and salt.
2. Bake a medium sized very ripe plantain as follows. Cut the ends off, and make a slit lengthwise on the skin. Place on a baking tin with a rack and bake at 425 degrees F for about 20-25 minutes or until the skin is black and blistered and the color of the plantain flesh exposed is golden brown. Remove from oven, mash well with a fork. Mix in the lime juice and set aside to cool.  
3. Mix sugar, vanilla and half and half together in a small saucepan. Bring to a slow boil until the sugar has dissolved. The mixture will thicken slightly and take on a chocolate color. Set aside to cool.
4. In a large bowl, beat the egg and oil until pale in color. Stir in the cooled milk mixture, and plantain. Combine thoroughly. Stir the flour mixture into the banana mixture until just combined. Divide the batter between 12 Jumbo sized cup muffin liners (or 14 regular sized).
5. Bake at 400 degrees F for 18 to 20 minutes.

Oat Bran Chocolate Chip Breakfast Muffins

These are dense, fairly moist breakfast sized muffins. I guess they are relatively healthy because of the oat bran and flax meal. On the other hand, they taste so good that it's easy to eat a lot of them at one sitting. The addition of the shredded apple keeps them moist but I freeze them and reheat using a microwave.

½ cup dark brown sugar

1 1/4 cups oat bran

¼ cup Flax meal

¾ cup all purpose flour

¾ cup whole wheat flour

2 teaspoons baking powder

1 teaspoon baking soda

½ teaspoon nutmeg

½ teaspoon cinnamon

½ teaspoon allspice

Juice of ½ lime

½ teaspoon salt

2 eggs

½ cup plain unsweetened Greek style yogurt

2 tablespoons Maple Syrup (100%, good quality)

1 tablespoon molasses

1 Granny Smith apple, finely grated

1 1/4 cup half and half

4 tablespoons vegetable oil

1 teaspoon vanilla

1/3 cup chocolate chips ( peanut butter or butterscotch morsels may also be used)

Directions

Preheat oven to 400 degrees F

Blend together chocolate chips, oat bran, flour, flax meal, baking powder, spices, soda, and salt.

Whisk eggs, maple syrup, molasses, yogurt, brown sugar, half and half, and vegetable oil. Add lime juice and shredded apple. Mix until well-blended.

Add dry to wet mixture, mixing until just combined.

Spoon batter into 15 muffin cups. Let stand 5 minutes.

Bake at 400 degrees F for 15-20 minutes or until golden brown and a cake tester inserted comes out clean.