Dhalpuri roti
Trinidadian stuffed roti with a fine split-pea filling sealed inside soft wheat dough, rolled thin and cooked on a hot tawa.
Modern method
Trinidad hops bread
Hops bread · Trini hops
Soft, buttery yeast rolls known in Trinidad and Tobago as hops bread. This batch follows one published family method; local recipes vary in dough and baking technique.
History
Hops bread is a familiar baked roll in Trinidad and Tobago. One writer describes a family recipe passed through her mother-in-law; another recalls buying fresh rolls at a Chinese bakery in San Fernando. The sources establish contemporary local association, not a birthplace, date of origin or settled explanation for the name.
Ingredients
Yield 12 rolls · Scaling: source batch only
FlourFor the dough.
580 g
The source lists 4 cups as an equivalent.ButterRub into the flour mixture; additional butter for brushing after baking.
65 g
65 g in dough; extra for brushing is not quantified.YeastHalf a packet; activate with the liquid.
5 g
Sugar2 teaspoons; mix with liquids and yeast.
8 g
Salt1 teaspoon; mix with flour.
7 g
MilkMix with the warm water and yeast.
200 mL
The source also lists ¾ cup.WaterWarm; mix with milk, sugar and yeast.
230 mL
The source lists 1¼ cups.Method
Risks and precautions · Standard risk
Raw flour dough
Flour is uncooked before baking and can carry germs; do not taste the raw dough.
Hazard sourceHot oven and tray
The oven, tray and freshly baked rolls can cause burns during removal and brushing.
Hazard sourceDo not eat raw dough; wash hands, bowls, utensils and work surfaces after handling flour or dough, and bake according to the recipe.
Control sourceUse oven mitts and a stable heat-safe surface when removing the tray; brush the rolls while they are on a secure surface.
Control sourceThe recipe source gives a bake time and temperature but no internal endpoint; do not invent one.
The source says to serve hot and gives no storage duration or shelf-life guidance.
- Stir the sugar, milk, warm water and yeast together. Leave for 10 minutes.
- Mix the flour and salt in a large bowl. Rub the butter into the dry ingredients until the mixture is coarse.
- Add the yeast liquid and knead for about 10 minutes, until the dough is soft and smooth.
- Cover and leave in a warm place for 1 hour, until doubled. Punch down, cover again and leave for another hour.
- Punch down a second time. Divide into 12 portions and shape into balls about 3–4 inches across, smoothing each by drawing the edges underneath and rolling it.
- Arrange the rolls on a buttered or parchment-lined baking tray. Cover and leave for 30 minutes.
- Preheat the oven to 375°F (about 191°C). Bake the rolls for 20–25 minutes.
- Remove the tray with oven mitts and brush the hot rolls with melted butter. Serve hot.
Conditions
Yield12 rolls
Fermentation2.5 h
Temperature191°C
Temperature controlMulti-stage
Places
Trinidad and Tobago
Traditional preparation · Country evidenceBoth sources identify hops bread with Trinidad or Trinbagonian foodways. Their formulas differ; this recipe records one family method, not a single national standard.
Related
More from Caribbean
Related in the family
Ablo (rice-based steamed bread)
Soft, lightly tangy steamed cereal bread documented across Benin and Togo. This page gives one measured rice-flour research method; maize-based Ablo and mixed-grain versions remain distinct traditions.
Alsatian kouglof
An enriched Alsatian yeast ring with raisins and almonds, kneaded with butter, proofed in a fluted mould and baked until browned.
Anpan
Anpan is a soft wheat bun filled with sweet red-bean paste and finished with egg wash and black sesame. This dough rises with commercial instant yeast.
Baghrir
Moroccan semolina pancakes made from a thin yeast batter, rested until foamy and cooked on one side until the surface sets with a honeycomb of holes. This source-specific batch makes sixteen 5-inch pancakes.
Belokranjska pogača
A round Slovenian flatbread scored in a grid and topped with caraway and coarse salt.
Biga
Biga is an Italian bread preferment of flour, water and a little yeast, usually a stiff unsalted mass of about 45 per cent water, fermented ahead and then mixed into the final dough.
Bo lo bao
Hong Kong-style pineapple buns have soft yeast dough beneath a crisp, sweet pastry topping.
Bolo do caco: pan-and-oven version
Sweet-potato wheat breads with fresh yeast, browned in a pan and finished in the oven. This is the bread component of Teleculinária's scrambled-egg dish.
Community
No community contributions have been published for this entry yet.
Share what you made
Sign in to contribute. Published comments and photos are free to read.
Sources
We Trini FoodInspiration · Method · Geography
Simple Trinidad Hops Bread RecipeMeasured family method: 580 g flour, butter, yeast, sugar, salt, milk and water for 12 rolls.
Yeast activation, two one-hour rises, shaping, 30-minute final rest and 375°F bake for 20–25 minutes.
Author identifies it as her mother-in-law’s Trini hops bread recipe.
CaribbeanPotHistory · Geography
Gratifying Hops BreadWriter recalls buying hops bread in San Fernando, Trinidad after school.
Describes one Trinidad-style form as crisp outside and soft inside; its separate formula differs from the selected method.
Centers for Disease Control and PreventionSafety
Raw Flour and DoughRaw flour can carry germs; do not taste or eat raw dough; wash hands and food-contact surfaces after handling.