Costa Rican Caribbean Pan Bon

Pan bon is a dark, spiced bread derived from English gingerbread, a faithful representative of the blend of European and Caribbean cultures in the Limón region.

The recipe arrived in Limón with Jamaican immigrants in 1872, who worked on building the railroad to the Atlantic, substituting ginger with cane molasses due to the abundance of sugar plantations in the area.

Costa Rican Caribbean Pan Bon

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• Prep Time: 1 hour 30 minutes
• Cook Time: 30 minutes
• Total Time: 2 hours
• Yield: 10 servings
• Category: Bakery
• Cuisine: Costa Rican

Print Recipe

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Ingredients

• 15 g (1/2 oz) of yeast
• 1 cup of warm water (for the yeast)
• 1 pinch of sugar
• 150 g (about 5.3 oz) of tapa de dulce (raw cane sugar block), ground
• 1/4 cup of water (for the tapa syrup)
• 4 cups of flour
• 60 g (about 2 oz) of candied dried fruit
• 60 g (about 2 oz) of raisins
• 15 g of vanilla extract
• 60 g (about 2 oz) of lard
• 1/4 teaspoon of nutmeg
• 1/4 teaspoon of allspice
• 1 egg white, for brushing
• Fat for greasing the pan

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Preparation

1. Activate the yeast, dissolve the yeast in the cup of warm water with the pinch of sugar.
2. Make the tapa syrup, melt the tapa de dulce with the 1/4 cup of water.
3. Make the dough, once the syrup has melted, mix it with the yeast and the flour.
4. Add the rest, add the lard, vanilla, nutmeg, allspice, dried fruit, and raisins, and knead well.
5. Let it rise, place the dough in a greased loaf pan and let it rest until it rises.
6. Brush, before baking, brush the top with the egg white.
7. Bake, bake in a preheated 180 °C (350 °F) oven for 30 minutes, or until a toothpick inserted comes out clean.
8. Serve, let cool before slicing and serving.

Tips for getting it right

• Letting the dough double in size before baking is key to a well-risen loaf.
• Tapa de dulce (cane molasses) is the ingredient that gives pan bon its dark color and characteristic flavor.
• Distributing the candied fruit and raisins well keeps them from clumping in one part of the bread.
• Brushing with egg white before baking gives the bread a characteristic shine.

Traditional variations

• It’s also known as “Easter bon,” since it’s traditionally eaten during Holy Week.
• In some recipes, part of the lard is replaced with butter for a milder flavor.

How to serve

Pan bon is served in slices, on its own or with butter, alongside coffee.

It’s a faithful representative of the European and Caribbean cultural blend of the Limón region, sold in bakeries and Caribbean restaurants throughout the country.

Recommended sides

• Coffee
• Butter

Did you know?

Pan bon arrived in Limón with Jamaican immigrants who worked on building the railroad to the Atlantic in 1872.

It’s also known as “Easter bon,” since it’s traditionally eaten during Holy Week.