Pone is a classic Trinidad dessert that consists mainly of cassava. There’s also grated coconut and spices in it. It’s one of my favorites but it’s one of those food items that can vary immensely based on a person’s likes/dislikes and sweetness level. For example, some people love and must have pumpkin in it while others never want to even think about pumpkin in it. Others enjoy it more on the moist and ‘gooey’ side while some prefer more firm pone. This recipe is just to way I personally like it so of course, and as with all recipes, use the measurements as a guide and experiment a bit until you find your idea of a ‘perfect’ pone.

YIELD: 1 8×8 or 9×9 baking pan

INGREDIENTS:

• 4 cups cassava, grated
• 1 cup coconut, grated
• 1-2 cups granulated sugar
• 2 tsp JGM Products cinnamon powder
• 1 tsp JGM Products ginger powder
• 8 tbsp margarine/butter
• 2 tsp vanilla essence
• 4 tbsp pumpkin, grated (optional)
• 2/3 cup evaporated milk

DIRECTIONS:

1. Combine all ingredients listed above. Mix well until properly incorporated.
2. Add to a greased baking dish. 
3. Bake at 350 degrees for roughly 1 hour.

NOTE:

• I used the frozen grated coconut and cassava which made it very easy to work with. These are usually sold in the freezer section of most supermarkets.
• If you prefer to use the fresh cassava and coconut, be sure to peel and grate them very finely.
• The sweetness level can be adjusted to your preference. I am not much of a sweet tooth so 1 cup of sugar was sufficient for me. Husband however likes it sweeter so bare this in mind when following the recipe. You can taste the mixture before adding it to the dish and adjust the sugar amount accordingly. 
• The pumpkin is optional. Keep in mind however that it does contribute to the sweetness of the pone. If you are not going to use it, you most likely will need to add more sugar so taste the mixture and adjust accordingly. 
• You can also use coconut milk in place of the evaporated milk. Keep in mind again the type of milk as the sweetness level will vary and therefore you will need to adjust the sugar measurement accordingly. 
• You can add as much spices as you like.

This is a very simple dessert to prepare especially if using the frozen items. Give it a try and let me know what you think! I hope this post was helpful. Thanks so much for stopping by!

Check out the video here: